Before You Go
by kaitothegreat
Summary: When Kaito first joined the KID Capture Brigade, the last thing he expected was sanity from the club. / "We're going to match-make Nakamori-san with the one she's meant to be." / See? Wasn't he right about everything?
1. Before You Go

Before You Go (1/2)

When Kaito first joined the KID Capture Brigade, the last thing he expected was sanity from the club. / "We're going to match-make Nakamori-san with the one she's meant to be." / See? Wasn't he right about everything?

* * *

"As the leader of the KID Capture Brigade-"

Kaito raised his hand. "Since when were you ever the leader?"

"Since now." Akako gave a cold smile. And it was meant as a warning for Kaito to put his hand down if he didn't want it chopped off the next second. "As I was saying, it is therefore important that I care for all the members' welfare."

Kaito raised his hand again. "But I don't care."

"I'm not surprise. You must be busy leading two lives after all." Hakuba inputted casually.

"I don't know what you're talking about."

" _Enough_." Akako snapped and looked between the two. "We need to settle this meeting before lunch break ends and Nakamori-san comes back to class."

"Why?" Both Kaito and Hakuba said in union. Kaito looked utterly disgusted to be in sync with Hakuba while the latter continued, with lesser disgust tainted in his tone. "She's good in welfare matters, if you were to ask me."

"Because the first person we're doing it for is Nakamori-san, obviously."

Hakuba nodded thoughtfully but Kaito wasn't convinced. The last time Akako was this nice was, never.

"By that do you also mean we're doing in secret? Like some Secret Santa?" Kaito subtlety leaned forward and muttered across his table. "Isn't that against your religion or something?"

He dodged just fast enough before Akako could slam his head down onto his desk.

"You sound like you already have a plan in mind, Akako-san." Hakuba interjected, unintentionally saving Kaito from the glare of death.

"Of course." Akako cackled and purred sweetly. "We're going to help her find her happiness."

"Just give her a bucket full of cakes and she'll be happy for a week." Kaito waved a hand before straightening his posture, looking ready for business. "Now it's my turn. As for my welfare, I opt to quit this club. It'll be a great beneficial for my heart and soul."

Everyone ignored him.

"Happiness?" Hakuba tilted his head to one side. "There's a lot of meaning to it. For example, I'm sure she'll be happy with a bucket full of cakes—"

"Didn't I say that?"

"—Or the capture of Kaitou Kid."

"None of the above." Akako smirked in a sexy-to-Hakuba-but-creepy-to-Kaito way. "We're going to match-make Nakamori-san with the one she's meant to be."

Hakuba naturally glanced at Kaito with a frown. "What happiness is there for Aoko-san?"

"Excuse me-"

"Not him." Akako waved a hand at Kaito, as though he was an annoying fly. "I'm talking about Okada from class 2-A."

"Okada?" Hakuba raised an eyebrow.

"Who?" Kaito sniffed, brows merging. Kaitou Kid could remember over a hundred police force members' details if he had too, but anyone outside his class was a complete alien to Kuroba Kaito.

Hakuba shook his head in disappointment. "Our school's representative and champion for this year's Japan annual Math competition."

"I need a face, not his biography." Kaito drawled.

"You'll come to know who he is eventually." Akako assured him.

It seemed she had got the wrong message. In all honesty, Kaito had absolutely zero interest to know another possible stuck-up genius, but...

"How do you know Aoko likes him?"

"She told me." Akako fluttered her eyelashes triumphantly. "And she asked me for some advices yesterday."

Kaito scowled. He didn't believe in Akako, not even the slightest. Maybe Akako did suspect something, but she must have cheated and used some magic mirror to be so specific and confident in her answer. And also, it was mainly because Kaito was a little sour for not knowing a _goddamn_ , single thing.

"How does she know him anyway?"

"They are in the same club." Akako said, her voice strained and lacking patience.

But as usual, Kaito didn't really care. He continued. "I don't believe she'll like someone so... boring."

"Ah, sure. Got to go for someone with secret identities, perhaps? That's exciting."

"No one asked you, Hakuba."

"You're being oddly talkative, Kuroba."

"Because this involves Aoko." Kaito blurted, much to his own surprise. "And that's, uh, important."

Akako clapped her hands, thrilled. "Good to see you motivated for once."

"I'm actually going _against_ the plan, if you didn't notice." Kaito crossed his arms and leaned against his chair. "I want evidence."

Hakuba gasped. "You sound almost like me."

Kaito pretended to barf.

"It's cute when you're in denial." Akako stood up from her borrowed seat and sashayed back to her own table, not without whipping her hair to finish her dramatic exit. "You'll see it very soon. That evidence."

"My eyes are _wide_ open." Kaito sneered.

Right on the cue (as though Akako predicted it all), the sound of Aoko's laughter drifted from class door and both Hakuba and Kaito turned to see her laughing with a few girls from another class. At least it wasn't that Okada-

"Oh," Hakuba nodded his head to himself, seeming to solve the mystery that Kaito didn't know existed. "Today is Tuesday."

"Really?" Kaito deadpanned. "I thought it's Saturday."

Hakuba faked a smile, just to prove that he had a heart of gold to forgive Kaito and his sarcasm. "Aoko-san has lunch with her Math's club members every Tuesday, if you didn't know."

Kaito didn't know. Well, he did know _now_.

"She looks extraordinarily happy." Hakuba added.

"See you!" Aoko waved as her friends departed down the corridor to wherever they were heading. Aoko skipped back inside the classroom, but her eyes trailed away from her seat as Keiko and her clique started gathering around Aoko and squawking like birds wanting freedom and justices. Kaito couldn't hear what the conversation was about, but his focus was on something else.

Aoko was hugging two bento boxes to her chest. One was pink, which was hers, while the other was turquoise. Kaito remembered the box that Aoko made lunch for him was three shades darker...

Kaito glanced over his shoulder and caught Akako's gaze. He turned away before she could give him her signature smirk.

That was some evidence, indeed.

.o.

"Stop dreaming."

The daze look on Aoko's face vanished. "What are you talking about?" She glared at him from the corner of her eyes before returning to face the board and continue her facade of the good, studious student the entire time even when Kaito was horribly and irritating correct-

"I need a table partner who can focus in class so I don't have to." Kaito scoffed, while trying to balance his pencil over between his nose and upper lips.

"I am _very_ focus." Aoko snapped (She really was; on trying not to grab that pencil and poke his thigh with it).

Their teacher's sharp ears caught their harsh whispers and she glanced to their seats, eyebrows raised in a warning manner. Kaito leaned towards Aoko and positioned himself, as though he was trying to explain something to her. "It's annoying when you're acting like you're in love." He muttered, and pretentiously flipped a page on her book.

"How does me being in love annoy you in any way?" Aoko frowned.

Kaito looked at her, as though he was searching for something in her eyes. "Are you really in love?"

"Stop bothering me." Aoko shifted her body so he wouldn't see the slight pink that tinting her cheeks. It wasn't an everyday thing that Kaito looked at her so earnestly, and hearing him say the word _love_ twice in a row made her slightly embarrass.

"So you're really in love?!"

 _And now that's three in a row._

Everyone turned to stare at the two and Aoko hastily slapped a hand over Kaito's mouth. "Why did you have to shout?!" She hissed.

"Now who's in love with who, Kuroba Kaito?" Their teacher crossed her arms and produced a smile that had nothing to do with her inward emotions, given that she had spent the last week reciting tragic poems because she just broke up with her boyfriend.

"Nothing." Kaito managed a dry laugh.

"No, no. I'm pretty sure you said _something_. About someone _being in love_." She looked up at the clock. "Spit it out. The whole class is waiting."

There were snickers lingering around the classroom and Aoko hid behind her book, her face was hot enough to keep a family warm in winter. She swore the voice of the loudest chuckle belonged to Keiko.

"Um," Kaito paused. "I'm in love with Aoko?"

Although the entire class burst into teasing cheers and hollers, it was all muted by Aoko's heartbeat thumping in her ears. She felt her heart was about to jump out of her chest, like an animal trying to smash its way out of the cage. In metaphor, yes. In truth, it was the same too.

.o.

"Th-That escalated quickly." Hakuba said in the middle of trying to catch his breaths (after laughing non-stop for the past five minutes).

Kaito closed his eyes in a long-suffering manner. "Just shut up for once. _Please_."

Aoko pinched Kaito in the arm for the third time that hour. "It's all your fault! And Hakuba-kun, please stop laughing too."

"I'm s-sorry Aoko-san."

After enduring the next few hours of awkward silences and teasing whispers, school ended and all the members of the KID Capture Brigade went to the empty science lab, where they held their (in Kaito's opinion: useless) meetings at. It wasn't a peaceful or quiet walk to the lab. It was more of Kaito dashing out of the classroom with Aoko screaming at him from behind and Hakuba laughing with his hands over his stomach while Akako was half-stomping, half-sashaying and signing a few autographs here and there...

Aoko felt her phone buzzed in her pocket again, but she didn't have the courage to look. "My reputation is ruined. Now everyone thinks a pervert likes me!" She slumped further into her seat.

"I think you meant _'Now Okada knows a handsome, charming man likes me and will not stand a chance anymore!'_ " Kaito gritted his teeth and rubbed his sore arm. He would mimic Aoko's whines perfectly, if he was in a good mood to tease. Apparently he wasn't, so what came out was like the sound of a croak.

"Akako-chan… you told them?" Aoko glanced from Akako and then to Kaito, her eyes wide. "A-About O-O-Okada."

"It's part of the new welfare program that Akako-san created for the club and we wanted to help." Hakuba explained before turning to side-eye Kaito. "Until _somebody_ confessed."

"What am I supposed to say then?" Kaito challenged. "That Aoko is in love with Okada-whoever?"

"No!" Aoko nearly screamed. "Just- Just something else!"

"Can't you see that I've saved your ass instead? _Ahouko_. Even if the rumour goes around, it's a pervert that likes you, not the other way round." Kaito scowled. He thought he did well to not sound like he was hurt, but the way Aoko suddenly looked at him guiltily seemed to prove otherwise.

"Well, I... You... I don't know..." Aoko squirmed in her seat and turned away to stare at the flasks in the cabinets.

"Actually, I think Kuroba-kun is finally contributing to the club." Akako, who had been oddly quiet the entire time, butted in.

"What?" The three other members said in disgusted unity.

"We can use that rumour to our advantage."

"But... How?" Aoko cast a quick glance at Kaito before looking away. "It isn't even true."

"Then let's make it real." Akako stated, like it was the most obvious thing in the world. "Now, Kuroba-kun, you'll be going after Nakamori-san's heart to make Okada jealous."

The only person who wasn't busy stuttering (Aoko) and laughing (Hakuba) was Kaito. "I _object_. This is ridiculous. Why am I the sacrificial piece?!"

"Do you have a better idea then?"

"No. But that doesn't make it a good idea either."

"I find Akako-san's idea excellent, in fact." Hakuba said after a wheeze. "It fits well with our current situation. Besides, I heard Okada loves competition."

"Aoko isn't some prize to be won." Kaito snapped when Aoko was too mute to defend herself. "She decides the outcome herself."

"…"

"…"

"…"

"See, you're acting exceptionally well." Hakuba broke the silence. "First step to chase after a girl is to impress her with your gentleman-likeness."

"Screw you."

"What do you think, Nakamori-san?" Akako continued before Aoko could comment. "Oh, and yes. How did the bento-sharing session go? I hope my tips managed to help you out."

Kaito gaze flickered towards Akako. _This witch planned it._

Aoko nodded with a smile, her mood brightened like magic. "He likes it, and said he'd like to have it again next week."

Akako pat a hand over Aoko's shoulder and cackled. "That's why you should trust me."

"I'm in." Hakuba said even though _no one bloody asked_.

"You're in because you're not the sacrificial piece."

"For Aoko-san, I'll love to be one, but you volunteered with your confession first."

Kaito was contemplating on going to Hakuba's house and start a bonfire under his bed tonight when Aoko sighed heavily, her breath long and calming enough to temporarily sooth Kaito's soul—

"Okay, I trust you Akako-chan!"

—Not anymore.

"In case everyone has forgotten," Kaito gritted his teeth. "I'm actually part of this club and I have the rights to boycott this stupid welfare program."

"I don't see why you don't want to help." Hakuba sounded genuinely puzzled. "It's for Aoko-san's happiness, and I think that's enough reason said."

With the mention of her name (every time), Kaito glanced to Aoko and froze, his leg muscles tensed when he made eye contact. He wasn't used to being stared at, not without brows furrowing or lips turning upside down since he was always doing things that made people frown upon. Aoko was looking at him, with lit curiosity in her bright blue eyes, and that sparkle was causing his stomach to churn funnily, in a good way…?

"Precisely, Kuroba-kun." Akako offered an unnecessary laugh. "Why not?"

Kaito ignored all of them. "Do you really like him? That Okada-whoever." He asked Aoko.

"He's not Okada-whoever. He's just Okada." She spat before looking away, unable to hold the embarrassed gaze. "And w-what's with the question?"

"I'm not asking for the reasons because I don't care." Kaito cared, a lot, about what Okada-whoever was so great for, but he decided he had ruined enough poker-faces for today. "Just a yes or a no."

Aoko's front teeth sunk deep into her lower lips, almost drawing blood. "Yes." She finally said after a long pause.

"… Alright then." Kaito slapped his hands over his thighs and swallowed the sigh he wanted to exhale. "If that's what you want."

Hakuba blinked. "So you're in?"

"Yes." Kaito said as neutrally as his voice allowed him.

"We finally have something to do together as a club." Akako glanced among the members with a satisfied smile. "So, Nakamori-san and Kuroba-kun, don't bother denying the accusation if anyone asked."

On the cue, Aoko felt her phone buzzed again. "That'll be a little hard." She sighed.

"I think I'm carrying the heavier burden with the pretence, by the way." Kaito muttered.

That seemed to put things back into perspective for Aoko. "Perhaps."

"Let's call it a day." Akako's smile for her plan didn't falter, much to Kaito's growing discomfort. "I need to make preparation for this."

Kaito frowned. "What preparation?"

"Don't worry, it's not what you _think_." Akako snorted and turned to Aoko as she walked out of the science lab. "I need you to go with me somewhere. Meet me at the gate later. I'm going to the bathroom first."

"Me? Oh, okay."

"I see that you'll be going home alone today." Hakuba looked at Kaito with an amount of pity that the latter found disturbing. "Do you want me to give you a lift?"

"No."

"Alright then. Goodbye Aoko-san." Hakuba left with a steady and fast pace after Aoko bided the same goodbye. Kaito would think the detective was hurrying to catch up with Akako, but judging from his quick, suspicious glance towards Aoko, he suspected the detective was scheming to leave the two of them alone. For whatever reason, Kaito honestly didn't care.

Aoko picked up her bag and shoved the chair to its original position. She took a while mustering the courage to speak. "Are you coming over for dinner tonight?"

Three seconds of silence later, he shrugged. "Not sure."

"Are you angry?" Aoko pursed her lips. "That I didn't tell you about Okada?"

Kaito was angry, maybe, or something else, but he wasn't sure what or why. So since Aoko offered a possible reason, he decided to just agree with it (even if he didn't have the rights to say it, not when he spent the past year lying to her about his identity). "Why didn't you?"

"Everyone has a secret that couldn't be said to certain people."

Kaito's heart skipped a beat. He almost thought Aoko was referring to what he _had been_ doing for the past year, until her serious demeanour shed off instantly and was replaced with an annoyed pout. "And I kept it from you because I know you'll mock me for it." She spat.

"I guess that justifies everything."

"See? Your sarcasm is definitely not helping." Aoko sighed. "Still, it's my fault for not telling you and I'm sorry. But it's not like it mattered to you, does it?"

Kaito didn't know what to agree or disagree on and stayed silent on his part. And it only made Aoko think she proved her point. That he didn't care. That he never thought anything mattered. And that was who Kuroba Kaito would forever be to her.

He ruffled his already messy hair and stared out of the window. "You should hurry and meet Akako or the next thing she'll do is to set some punctuality rule for the club."

That brought Aoko's mood back to how it usually was. She nodded and agreed by sprinting towards the door, but managed to stop halfway and turned back at the last second.

"Text me if you are coming over!"

And then she was gone.

.o.

It was only those busiest days as Kid then Kaito would reject Aoko's offer for dinner. He made a promise to himself to make the effort to go to her house every time she asked, since this was the most he could do to make her feel less lonely every night.

So, even if Kaito didn't want to see Aoko and imagine Okada-whoever was going to replace him sooner or later, he still told her he would be coming for her home-cooked dinner.

 _I'm ready to come over. You okay?_

He only got a reply ten minutes later.

 _Sorry! I'll be home late so I don't have time to make dinner today! I promise I'll make your favourite hamburger steak next time (smiley face)_

Kaito tucked his phone under his pillow and continued staring at his ceiling on his bed.

It was fine, either way.

.o.

The moment Kaito first stepped foot into class that day, everyone started turning into animals and chanting some gorilla union song. His fake, irritated smile immediately garnered some gossipy whispers, ranging from _"Did Aoko-chan reject him?"_ to _"Did he have a stroke this morning why is he smiling like that?"_

"Morning." Aoko said from her seat, her eyes focusing on him as he slumped next to her. "I thought you'll come later, to avoid the you-know-what." She glanced at the classroom.

He returned her greeting with a snort and immediately got down to the question that was worrying him since the previous night (which was also the reason he came so early to school for). "So where did Akako bring you yesterday?"

"Are you looking for me?"

His back straightened with a cold shiver as Akako suddenly appeared to the side of his table and settled her butt on his table. "Not at all." Kaito calmly said. He hadn't wiped his drool-coated table for a week but he decided not to tell her. Ignorance is truly bliss.

"Did you bring the things we bought yesterday?" Akako effectively returned to the conversation Kaito was dying to know about.

"Yeah." Aoko picked up a large plastic bag from underneath her table and plopped it onto her desk.

He couldn't believe for a moment that he was so distracted to not notice such a large bag hidden under Aoko's table the entire time. He took a peek inside. No _fall-in-love-with-me_ potions or curse spell tags, surprisingly. But nonetheless, some curse still happened and the demon was summoned.

"Are you all discussing about the plan?" Hakuba the devil joined in the group.

"Just about to start." Akako smiled as she tilted the bag to pour the contents out and onto Aoko's desk. And as the number of items on the table grew, so did Kaito's frown.

Even Hakuba was confused. "Cats' treats?" He picked up the bag of biscuit before pointing at some health-sports magazine. "Gym and Yoga?"

"All of these are Okada's favourites." Akako said proudly. "There's no point for Kuroba-kun to act his part if Okada isn't interested in the competition in the first place. So the first step is for Nakamori-san to get his attention with all these props. They will eventually clicked well and once he starts to show an interest, we'll move on the next phase, where _you'll_ step in." Akako snapped a finger over at Kaito and smirked. "Don't get too excited."

"Don't worry. I'm not excited at all." Kaito drawled as he finished solving the Rubik's Cube he found from the pile and returned it to where it belong. "You were saying Aoko is going to approach Okada-whoever with all _these_?"

"Yes."

"Aoko doesn't like Rubik's Cube. She's more into Sudoku. And she's a dog person, not a cat person." Kaito stared at a random book, which was titled as _All you need to know about Cactus!_ , with a withering look. "She doesn't even like a quarter of these garbage, so how is the plan going to work again?"

"I can, uh, start to like them." Aoko afforded meekly. She picked up a bar of chocolate mint and grinned. "And I like mint!"

"But you preferred cookies and cream." Kaito sighed inwardly. This wasn't helping, but he just felt the need to say it.

"You sure know a lot about Aoko-san." Hakuba commented not-so-casually.

"That's beside the point." Kaito scowled, hating that smug look Hakuba was giving to him now. "And anyway," he glanced inconspicuously at Aoko, who was looking at him with a mildly surprise look, and continued. "This just goes to show how different Aoko and Okada-whoever are. They are not going to work out."

"For starters, they are in the same Math club," Akako chimed positively and pat a hand over Aoko's shoulder. "And I'm pretty sure they shared the same interest of disliking Kaitou Kid and his thieving ways, aren't I right, Nakamori-san?"

Aoko nodded, though a little distracted, for some odd reason. "If it wasn't for his heavy commitments, he said he'd consider joining our club."

"We don't need another worthless member when we have plenty already."

"Are you referring to yourself? No need to be so subtle, Kuroba. We all know."

"The first person on the list is _you_ , Hakuba."

"Stop _changing_ the subject." Akako slammed a hand on the table and her gaze focused back to Aoko. "You can always cultivate an interest in the future, like you said yourself. For now, we'll start on something easy. Something that doesn't require training or knowledge." She took the bag of cats' treats from Hakuba and plopped it into Aoko's arms. "Okada always goes to feed the orphan kittens behind the backyard after school every day. It's a good chance to meet him privately."

"You've put in a lot of effort in researching about Okada, Akako-san." Hakuba said as he flipped through the magazine. He sounded normal and plain, but Kaito thought otherwise.

 _The detective's finally using his brain._

Akako cackled behind her hand. "All these information just came from a reliable source, that's all." She turned to Aoko and gave an reassuring smile. "And don't worry, Nakamori-san. I have no interest in him. I'm doing this for the welfare, remember?"

Her words seemed to answer some of Aoko's silent doubts. She nodded her head understandingly.

"Good!" Akako clapped her hands and gestured over the pile of mess. "We'll discuss the plan during lunch break. It'll definitely be successful under my watch."

Oh _great_.

.o.

"Can you _please_ stop standing so close to me?"

"Why don't _you_ stop standing so close to _me_?

"Be quiet." Akako shushed them and peeped out from behind the thin pillar, where the three of them were squeezing together to hide behind the small space. "Nakamori-san is doing well."

"Is she?" Hakuba slapped Kaito's arm away and lean out of the pillar to take a look. He glanced back to Kaito with a smug-ass smirk. "You need to see this."

"There isn't a need to." Kaito scowled and tightened his arm around his chest as he continued half-glaring at the school field next to him. "I'm perfectly fine staring into blank space."

Akako rolled her eyes. "Too scared to face the truth?"

He snapped his gaze at her. "What truth?"

"That Nakamori-san isn't going to stay by your side forever." Akako sneered before poking a bit of her head out again to continue the discreet peeking. Before he could retort, a faint and familiar chorus of laughter filled the air and Akako smirked on the cue. "She's happy. And Okada is smiling. The plan is on right track."

"She's always happy around everyone." Kaito grumbled. He didn't know why he felt the need to say it.

"And with you?" Hakuba scoffed and cast him a side-long glance. "Given that you're stuck with your other identity, perhaps not."

Kaito scowled inwardly. That was... such a low blow. Even though he was used to the thought of Aoko disliking him, he didn't like to be reminded of it, but he did _try_ to not let it get to him so often.

It seemed trying was never enough.

"I don't know what you're talking about." He muttered icily.

Hakuba didn't rebuke for the first time in a long while.

The stupid cat feeding scheme ended ten minutes later and Okada offered to walk Aoko home. Of course she agreed, and out of pity, again, Hakuba suggested to give Kaito a ride. He considered agreeing just so he could fake-spill some soda onto his leather seats, but he thought better of it. Because he could already imagine Hakuba's forgiving stupid smile as he used his superb deductive skills to validate the reason for Kaito's immaturity was because he was sad and jealous.

And he would rather die than to admit that.

.o.

"It worked!" Was what Aoko exclaimed the first thing in the morning when Kaito slumped onto his seat. Now that he thought about it, he missed her usual morning greetings. At least there were a million times better then hearing an update about Okada-whoever.

"Oh really." Kaito muttered.

Although he meant it as a statement, it must have sounded like a question to Aoko. She frowned. "Weren't you there the entire time?"

Technically he was, but there wasn't a difference when he'd been staring at the field the entire time. He simply waved her off. "It's a rhetorical thing."

"I see." She took out her pencil case and began sharpening a pencil since their teacher hadn't arrived. "What do you think about Okada?"

Kaito snapped his neck towards her in slight surprise. "What?"

"You've seen him right? For the first time." She started on the second pencil. "What do you think about him?"

"Why are you asking me that?"

"Your opinion is important to me." Aoko turned to look at him sincerely. "Even though your insults are mean, there's always some truth in there."

"Hey, not _everything_ that comes out of my mouth are insults."

She twitched her nose. "Whatever you say." Her expression slowly turned to serious. "So, what's your verdict?"

To be truthful, he didn't seem as obnoxious as what Kaito imagined in the first place, just thirty percent lesser than Hakuba. He looked like the type that would settle for a stable job after graduation and look after a family well. Nothing great. Nothing bad either. But still... They weren't suitable, not only in terms of looks or wild guesses about their possible future... they were just... not suitable. And Kaito knew if he said it, Aoko would demand to know why he felt that way, but he didn't have the answer for it. Nothing, from the very start, felt right to him at all, and he didn't know how to put his feelings into words.

He never once did, anyway.

"Well, he seems nice. I guess." He shrugged. "At least he's better than Hakuba."

Aoko rolled her eyes, but continued. "And?"

"And?" Kaito echoed back.

"Do you think I should continue?"

"Continue what?"

"Trying to... uh, I don't know. This whole matchmaking thing." Aoko blabbered embarrassingly. "If it wasn't for Akako-chan, I would never have taken the first step to do what I did yesterday. It was sort of an infatuation thing, you see. He's really cool during the annual Math competition and I kinda admire him for that."

Kaito straightened. This was the first time he felt so alive for that week. "You mean it's all just a crush? You don't even _like_ or _love_ him?"

"Umm..."

"You told me you liked him." He felt his chest losing to gravity at the thought of it. "And that's the one and only reason why I even agreed to join this stupid welfare programme."

"I _don't_ don't like him."

"Then what's with the sudden doubts?" He asked, seriously curious. "Or is there something that is stopping you?" He added thoughtfully.

She paused. "There isn't."

The tone of her reply sounded the opposite of convincing. He looked earnestly at Aoko to decipher, one way or another, her true feelings on the matter. And perhaps for that reason, she knew and wouldn't meet his eyes. She stared at the pencil in her hand, her look carefully guarded but her actions less so; she was gripping tightly onto the pencil till her knuckles were turning white. His active use of poker face was rubbing onto her, but she still had a lot to learn about controlling her fidgety actions.

"Then I guess you should just go for it." Kaito said, with enough nonchalance to cover the sound of his heart cracking a little in his chest. He turned away and picked up his bag to take his pencil case out too. "We're already at phase one after all, and my stupid fake confession is still spreading around like some disease."

"You're right." Was all she said before she kept her pencils back into her case.

He ended the conversation with his silence. _For her happiness._ He could almost Hakuba's ugly voice chanting at the back of his mind.

"Good morning." And indeed, like some kind of black magic, Hakuba suddenly materialized before their table, and Akako did the same as she appeared from behind and placed her butt on the exact same spot on Kaito's table again. He was tempted to tell her about his drools, just so she would stop using his table as a chair.

"Morning Hakuba-kun and Akako-chan." Aoko beamed, her usual self was back. Kaito tried not to stare and wonder if it was just a facade.

"Yesterday was good wasn't it?" Akako smirked, and crossed her arms in a satisfying, proud manner when knowing her plan worked.

"Okada was surprised that I knew about the kittens, but luckily he didn't dwell on the question too much." Aoko produced a thumbs up. "So all is fine!"

 _"Good to like someone who's dumb."_ Was what Kaito wanted to say. But he wasn't in the mood to mock today. His chest still felt heavy, for some irritating reason.

"And the next plan would be?" Hakuba asked, intrigued. Kaito managed a yawn.

"Now we'll be moving on to the next item." Akako snapped a finger and Aoko pulled out the bag from under the table and dropped it onto the desk again. Akako rummaged through the bag like she was digging for a lucky ticket from a lottery box and whipped out a membership card for a famous cafe located in the busiest street of Tokyo. "This is perfect. A good, nice coffee date after school."

"But Aoko doesn't drink coffee." Kaito grumbled.

"Um, there's milkshakes there, I guess." Aoko squinted her eyes, trying to recall the memory. "I remember I've been there once."

"Then that settles." Akako dumped the card into Aoko's hand. "It's a perfect place to discuss about your club matters, which _is_ a fact, anyway."

"I will try." She kept the card inside her pocket and glanced at Kaito before looking away. "Are you guys going to be there?"

"Of course." Akako chortled behind her hand. "We'll be giving you our hundred percent support."

Oh. _GREAT_.

.o.

Unlike everyone else, Kaito didn't find it a shame that Hakuba couldn't join their _second official_ plan-in-action because of some emergency matters that required his presence. He was already finding it uncomfortable to be sitting with Akako at the same table, much less imagining having a coffee date with another obnoxious detective.

There wasn't any pillar for Kaito to hide (or a wall to block his view of the Okada-whoever laughing so disgustingly at a joke he said about himself), so for the past ten minutes, he had been staring at a picture of a chocolate cake on the menu, pretending it was the formula to the cure of cancer.

(And luckily, after flipping through the menu, he was relieved to know there were indeed milkshakes for Aoko to drink and enjoy. Just a small amount of caffeine would keep her awake at night afterall).

"Nakamori-san is much better at this than I thought." Akako purred and stirred her drink, her metal spoon clinking unceremoniously against the glass. So much for trying to be inconspicuous.

"Hn."

"Are you hungry?" Akako leaned forward, trying to get his attention. "You've been looking at the menu the entire time."

"No. I just hate being here."

"Why am I not surprise?" She clasped her hands together to form a bridge. "You said you were fine with the plan, but you're obviously not."

"Sorry about not acting well enough." If there was an award for the most sarcastic sentence in the world, Kaito would definitely win with this.

"It's not that you couldn't. It because you don't bother." Akako sneered and cast a glance towards Aoko's direction. "Too hurt to keep up the pretence?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." He muttered, and hid his face further into the menu.

"Nakamori-san would be upset to know her childhood best friend isn't putting much effort in helping her out with her happiness."

For the first time since they entered the cafe, Kaito finally closed the menu and shoved it to one side of the table. "And that being said, I don't get why _you_ are so dedicated in this. What exactly are you planning?"

Akako flicked her gaze towards him, her eyes narrowed. "I'm just helping Nakamori-san to find her happiness because she's my friend."

"That may be one of your reasons, but it's not the main one."

"If you know so much, why don't you tell me?"

"You wanted all men in the world to be under your calling, but you're letting Okada-whoever off for Aoko?" Kaito shook his head. "It's not about generosity. It was a bargain. You gave up the small prize to get a bigger one."

"And who do you think the bigger prize is?"

"..."

Akako scoffed and looked away. She had no interest in the staring game that Kaito engaged her in. "It's all about her."

"Why are you even talking about-"

"The reason why your heart didn't waver for me is because of her. As simple as that." Akako jabbed a finger into the air, but he felt as though she was digging her nails deep inside the exact spot where his heart was. He didn't know when it started to become so painful and sore. Since two days ago, maybe.

"What kind of assumption is that? Some magic mirror told you so?"

"It's so bloody obvious that it's _annoying_." She hissed before glancing around to check if their table gained any unnecessary attention. She leaned forward when she noted the coast was clear. "Even the blind could see it."

Kaito scowled. This situation was getting out of hand. He would rather be eating his toe and staring at Okada's flirting schemes than continue this stupid conversation. "I don't know what you're talking about, again, like always. My feelings. Your feelings. Whatever. Those aren't important. We're supposed to be helping Aoko _now_ , aren't we?"

Akako wasn't going to back down without getting the last word in. "If it means for you to give up on Nakamori-san once she's with Okada, then so be it."

"What makes you think I'll give up on her, _even if_ she goes to Okada?" His jaws tightened at this. Anyone who didn't know him would think he was angry, but it wasn't the case. And Akako, somehow, knew too. It was the emotion gathering in his jaw, like a giant reservoir, storing it away until the right moment when the drought within him called for those walls to break and for the emotions to gush. But not now. Not in front of Akako. Not when he had absolutely no interest in admitting to anyone about how much Aoko could shake him up like this.

Akako's finger slowly curled back into a fist. "Kuroba-"

"I'm leaving." He stood up from his seat and left for the door. He didn't care if Aoko or even Okada noticed his departure. He just needed to leave.

He had enough of admitting today.

.o.

The third plan passed and so did the fourth, but by the second week, the fifth plan was put on hold because Okada finally initiated one. He had bought two movie tickets and invited Aoko to watch it after school tomorrow, which she agreed to without a question. It was a sci-fi film. Not too obvious with the hint, but at least there was progress. That was what Akako said before lecturing about things that Kaito didn't care to hear about.

Akako didn't mention Kaito's uncharacteristic outburst in front of him or anyone, in fact, she had been treating as if that incident never happened. Regardless if she did it on purpose or not, Kaito thought it was all for the better. He didn't need to let anyone else know, and he certainly didn't want to remember it as well.

"-And then you'll mix the straws up and tell him you forgotten which is which."

Kaito's ears perked up. He dropped the rubber band he found on one of the science lab's tables and turned his head in a whip, finally registering what Akako's ridiculous lecture was all about.

Aoko flushed. "That's-That's an indirect kiss!"

"Yes, it is." Akako cackled, her loud laughter echoing inside the empty science lab.

"That's so- _so_ despicable and inappropriate." Kaito said, disgusted. Disgusted mostly for Aoko, actually.

"And do you have a better advice, then?"

"I don't know?" Kaito rolled his eyes. "Just do what you're supposed to do in the cinema? Which is to watch the goddamn movie?"

"Body contact." Hakuba suddenly said and snapped his fingers like he scored a goal. "Especially since you both share the same arm rest."

"Good idea." Akako snapped her fingers back.

"What is _this_? Are we going to base on some romance manga's subplot now?!"

.o.

"I don't understand." Akako frowned, her brows creased to nearly form a line. "Why did you reject Okada's offer to go to the water show just now?"

For the first time since the start of this club, Kaito _smiled_ during the meeting. He wouldn't have, but he couldn't contain the joy that was overwhelming him since the moment Aoko called off the potentially sixth 'date'. Honestly, he couldn't remember the last time he heard a happy news, and he sometimes wondered if his life was set on the downward slope of a mountain.

"It coincidentally falls on the night when Kid's going to hold his heist." Aoko lowered her gaze before daring herself to look back at the remaining members again. "I've always appreciated what you guys have done for me throughout this welfare programme, but I thought we shouldn't forget the main objective of the club either."

Kaito didn't like both. But if he had to choose, he hated the welfare part more. He raised his arm as an act of agreement. "I'm on Aoko's side." He nearly exclaimed. _Nearly_.

The three of them stared at him for a long while, until Hakuba cleared his throat to break the silence. "I'm speechless." He spoke, ironically.

"Isn't what Aoko said true?" Kaito made a face and put down his hand, like a kid who just got rejected by the teacher. "We _should_ focus on the club's objective, which is to hunt down Kid."

"I'm not against Aoko-san's idea." Hakuba raised a hand in assurance before looking at Kaito up and down. "It's just funny to hear it coming from you."

"Funny. Ha. Ha."

"It's been a while since Kid sent a heist's note that I'd almost forgotten his existence." Akako let out a sardonic laugh. "I wonder what's he up to."

Kaito scowled.

"He might be planning to pull a big trick." Aoko warned as she began looking through her phone. "That's what he always do when he appears again after a short hiatus."

"It'll be a lot easier if Kaitou Kid tells us what he's going to plan," Hakuba raised his eyebrows at Kaito, as if they were sharing some inside joke. "Wouldn't it?"

"It'll be a lot easier if you buck up your skills," Kaito raised his eyebrows even higher. "Wouldn't it?"

" _Focus._ " Aoko gave Kaito a pointed look and waved the phone in her hand.

"Why am I at fault when he started it?"

"Just because." She stuck out a tongue.

" _Wow_. I'm so appalled by your reasoning and answer." His annoyed look didn't stay for long as he leaned towards Aoko to read the news article on her phone. " _Ohhh_ , so Kaitou Kid is going to appear tomorrow night to steal the _Mother's Angel_ from Heiwa Museum, uh huh."

"You're really fired up for this, Kuroba-kun." Akako eyed him with disdain.

"Because it's the best thing that happened since the welfare programme starts." Kaito didn't hesitant to admit.

Aoko turned her head towards him, her nose inches away from his cheek. "Don't you have your own phone to look at?" She fumed.

"Fours eyes are always better than two." Kaito said, and he couldn't help but give a stupid grin.

"The weather forecast says it's going to rain." Hakuba looked up from his phone with a smirk. "He's going to be stuck on the ground. I wonder what's he going to do about it."

"We should _all_ be worrying about what to do in the rain." Kaito rolled his eyes. "Especially Inspector Nakamori and his squad too."

Hakuba stroked an invisible beard. "What a blatant way of yours to collect information, eh?"

"The rain is nothing." Aoko affirmed softly, almost to herself. "He always has a way."

Kaito was too busy plotting a hundred methods to make Hakuba's life miserable that it didn't occur to him, until much later, that Aoko never specify which _he_ she meant.

.o.

Twenty-nine hours later, Kaitou Kid was standing under the rain and in the middle of an outdoor carpark, surrounded by at least a dozen of police cars.

Inspector Nakamori was wise this time; he knew every step he took could mean a trap and ordered his squad members to keep their distance, but not too far either. He yelled through a megaphone and demanded Kid to turn himself in, but who was he kidding?

The _Mother's Angel_ was kept safe inside his wet suit, but his eyes were scanning for something even more important in the crowd, someone that was worth more to him-

Aoko was standing amongst the crowd, separated from the rest of the club members due to the chaos, and looking at him with a sort of mixed determination and... and something similar to... worry. The oversized raincoat made her look about eight, and inside the white hood were huge blue eyes and rain-spiked lashes and a face like a lost puppy. He had the temptation to drop everything and go towards her, to tell her everything is okay and dry her gently in front of a fire with a nice towel.

He dreamt a lot of things as Kid. He dreamt more when he was Kaito. But the heavy weight inside his suit instantly reminded him of the nightmares he had yet to banish.

So what the hell was he even doing now?

In a split second, Kid slipped a couple of his advance-waterproof flash bombs before pulling a quick disguise and mixed himself with the bustling and raging policemen that started to pounce onto him.

He had no time to dream.

.o.

"You look extremely gorgeous tonight, Aoko-san."

Aoko sheepishly pulled a loose strand of hair behind her ears, her blush camouflaged well under her makeup, which was done perfectly and naturally in Kaito's opinion as a master of disguise.

"Thanks Hakuba-kun." She smiled.

Her face was literally _glowing_.

It wasn't the first Kaito seen Aoko wearing a kimono, but _damn_ , she looked extremely heavenly tonight. She was always pretty to him; big eyes, natural rosy cheeks, face all well-proportioned, but she never bothered or wanted to dress to show it. And now she had, more than usual, and it was also partially with Akako's help.

Her hair was slicked down so it wasn't as bushy as it usually was, and a few strands were braided and pinned back with small butterfly pins, which he remembered seeing her bought from a street stall a year ago but never had a chance to wear. His job habit kicked in and he could immediately tell the small diamond on her dangling earrings were fake, but it looked pretty and perfect all the same. Her kimono was in shades of blue (his favourite colour), and the silk dress fitted her perfectly to the waist, making him realize he had been underestimating _and_ miscalculating her sizes all along.

"Okada is going to be smitten after this." Akako cackled before giving Aoko's ribbon a light tug to adjust its position. "Everything will be perfect."

"You're surprisingly quiet, Kuroba." Hakuba smirked, his eyes slightly squint from whatever amusing thought he had in mind.

There were moments when Kaito regretted passing the chance to break into Hakuba's house and sew his mouth shut. This was one of the moments. He tried his best to keep his composure and gave Aoko the once-over (for the ninth hundred time) and shrugged. "Uh, you look nice- I mean, great." Kaito mumbled, with an imaginative smack of his own head afterwards.

All of the sudden, Aoko laughed, and Kaito almost thought the birds and squirrels outside her house were going to start singing too. "Your choice of vocabularies never change." She said, with a sad smile that lingered for a second before it was gone.

.

Even though it happened nine months ago, it might as well be just nine seconds.

The memory was so clear, as if he was replaying a tape in his head. The way she entered the living room and how her eyelashes fluttered so innocently as she waited to see his expression about her new, rare appearance; Well-dressed, beautiful kimono, combed hair... the difference was her makeup was simpler, and she didn't wear much accessories on her, but she still looked just as amazing. Just as great. Just as breath-taking as the first time Kaito flew into the night as Kid and watched the lights beneath him... but a million, billion times better.

And what made it all better was that she was ready for _him_.

They were going to the big annual summer festival together, which he knew she was really interested in months before the actual date. She showed him tons of fliers and talked about it during dinner with an enthusiasm he hadn't seen for a long time. And judging how he had been spending most of his night time doing something she hated, he thought he should initiate asking her out and make her happy. And he didn't regret it, seeing the way her eyes lit up brighter than anything he'd seen before.

He went to her house five minutes earlier than the promised time, to pick her up before taking a train together to the festival. And her father, who realized much later that Aoko was going with Kaito alone, told her to change out when he spotted her climbing down the stairs, just because she looked too nice for the date. She flushed and pushed Kaito out of the house before her father continued his weird protective-father instincts and made a ruckus out of nothing.

"So," Aoko closed the door behind her and grinned after a sigh of relief. "How do I look?" She made an awkward turn, her Geta clacking loudly on her front steps.

Kaito scratched his nose, just an effort to make himself look away from her very distracting lips. "Uh, you look nice- I mean, great."

"That's it?" She scoffed and placed a hand exaggeratedly over her chest, looking as if she was offended.

The light joke was enough for him to regain back his composure. He pretended to take a hat off his head and bowed. "Your beauty radiates like the sun, like an essential to earth, and your existence brings everything breathing on this planet to life-"

"You're gross." Aoko rolled her eyes, but she couldn't control her laughter at the end.

"Let's go." Kaito grinned and spread out an arm to gesture her down the stairs. "After you."

Kaito remembered the festival. It was great, with nice food, fun games and the hyped festive mood. Everything was nearly perfect that night. _Nearly_ , but not absolute.

While waiting for the fireworks to start, they choose and sat on top of a hill beside the festival, with their arms closely touching as they watched the lights below them glistering like sea of stars. All along, he was aware of what she wanted and was preparing to do. She had saved up money and put tons of effort for this moment; the perfect dress, her amateur but cute make up, and it was all for that night, and all for him too.

She was so beautiful, so much so that Kaito almost forgot what was holding him back from giving her the kiss he thought she was waiting for as well. But when he remembered why he couldn't and shouldn't, he promptly stopped himself before it was too late. So that night, almost the entire night, he casually ruined every perfect moment with some meaningless conversation and broke the hope within her.

And her heart too.

Kaito sent her home after the fireworks and she said her goodbyes before closing the front door behind her. Instead of going home, he tugged his hands in his pockets and ran ten rounds around the neighbourhood because he didn't want to remember the disappointed look in her eyes.

He wanted to tell her everything; How he was willing to risk his life and steal their clock tower back for her, how he was willing to fall into some trap-hole and be stabbed by glass shards for her, how he was willing to do anything for her, how he was so _in love_ with her.

But he couldn't, because all these things he wanted to tell her was tied together with another secret. And he was so, _so_ afraid he would lose her after he told her the secret he knew she would never forgive him for.

And that was the irony.

He was so afraid of losing her that he did.

.

"Okada is already at the meeting spot." Akako cackled and looked at Aoko like she was some prized item. "Good things come to those who wait."

Hakuba agreed. Aoko flushed and blabbered incoherently before Akako pushed her towards the pavement.

Kaito looked away without a word.

.o.

"How long has it been?" Aoko began counting down with her fingers before shaking her head in slow horror. "It's been three months since we last hung out after school!"

"Really?" Kaito squinted his eyes, trying to remember if the facts tally, but he couldn't. "But why do I feel like I've been seeing you every second of my life?"

Aoko snorted. "Is that a pick up line?"

" _No._ " He said in annoyance, and stole a piece of cherry from her cake, just to irritate her back.

"I'm not talking about after-school club meetings or dinner." Aoko rolled her eyes and stole a piece of his biscuit from his decorated cake as a form of revenge. "Just the two of us, sitting somewhere nice and doing nothing but enjoying ourselves."

That was true, then. He was too busy planning heists, too busy thinking about that stupid Okada-whoever, too busy being part of Akako's crazy welfare programme and too busy being taunted by Hakuba's indirect threats. He was too busy for something that mattered more than all of those pointless things. How stupid was that?

"Don't you have Okada-whoever for company now?" Kaito tried not to roll his eyes. He really _did_ try.

"It's different, _Bakaito_." Aoko pinched the end of her milkshake straw in slight agitation. "And you know that."

He stared at her for a moment before looking down at his own milkshake. "How would I know?"

"Right," Aoko huffed. "You wouldn't understand this sort of thing."

"Aoko-chan!"

Their heads turned in sync as they watched two bubbly girls skipping towards their seats. Kaito recognized them as the same girls that walked Aoko back to her class on the day of the bento-sharing scheme. So... that means they were from the Math club-?

"Hi," another figure popped from behind and Kaito's nose twitched at the sound of voice. From that, it was sort of a confirmation that they were all from the Math club.

"Sayaka, Yuna... and O-Okada?!" Aoko blinked, her eyes darting between the trio. She looked almost like she was being caught in an affair, although it wasn't that far off either.

One of the girls hushed not-so-quietly to Aoko. "Isn't he the rumoured guy that likes you?" She pointed at Kaito and gave a very-not-subtle wink.

Aoko blushed as she glanced at Kaito. "Um-"

"Yours's truly." Kaito grinned and gave a wave.

She slapped his hand down. "You're embarrassing me."

"You're Kuroba Kaito, is it?" Okada-whoever spoke. He smiled, but Kaito felt something about the tug of his lips were a little off. "Aoko-chan told me a lot about you."

"So she did."

"What are you guys doing here anyway?" Aoko interrupted before they exchanged any more words.

"It's our homeroom teacher's birthday next week and we're going to discuss some things." Okada-whoever explained before gesturing to the other side of the cafe. "Anyway, we shall not bother you two anymore. Besides, we have lots of planning to do too."

"Alright, good luck!"

"See you tomorrow Aoko-chan!" The girls gave their signature cutesy wave.

"See you!"

When Aoko was sure they had settle at their designated table and was too far to hear her, she let out a half impressed, half surprised gasp. "I can't believe this. How did Akako-chan manage to plan this?"

"I wonder." Kaito scoffed to himself.

The most ironic thing was this _date_ wouldn't even happen if it wasn't for Okada-whoever and Akako's decision to move on to phase two; the wow-I'm-jealous-and-I-have-to-fight-for-Aoko-before-she-is-taken-away plan. The plan was that Kaito would bring Aoko to a fake date and Okada would see them and be all jealous and afraid that Aoko, the most beautiful woman of his life, would slip away (all quoted from Akako). The troublesome part was how they were going to pull off such a coincidence without making it all fake, but Akako laughed to herself and said she would solve the most difficult part of the quest. And it worked. It bloody worked. Which meant the first fake date would also be their last since there wasn't a need to do it again when the first one was probably enough to trigger Okada-whoever.

 _Simply... wonderful._

Kaito glanced over his shoulders and towards the booth where Okada and the other club members were. Indeed, like what his instincts told him, Okada was looking at their direction. And when their eyes met, Okada immediately glanced away and awkwardly pretended to be engaged in his conversation.

 _He really likes Aoko._ Kaito thought dryly.

"I'm not prepared." Aoko hushed across the table and nervously slurped her milkshake. "I honestly didn't think the plan was going to work in the first place."

"Just be ourselves." Kaito reached out for another macaroon and gobbled it in one bite.

"Be ourselves?"

"Yeah." It was as simple as that, because only when they were themselves then they could truly enjoy whatever they were doing. Aoko might not know, but he was particularly sensitive and conscious towards her level of comfort. So if she was feeling awkward or tense, he wouldn't feel comfortable too.

Aoko nodded, her expression exaggeratedly solemn. "You're the boss of the plan today."

Kaito rolled his eyes and flicked a biscuit crumb towards her direction, much to her annoyance. "Don't you know I hate planning the most?"

Their conversation constantly drifted from significant to insignificant things; studies and what's for dinner and fate and their common neighbour's dog and math equations and what is the meaning of life. Kaito and Aoko laughed at each other a few times and offended each other many more times, but somehow, it was alright, because his insults were the unserious teases and her glares softened more quickly than before.

Everything was how it used to be, and how Kaito wished it would always be.

By the time they finished their almost-forgotten cakes and drinks, Okada and the rest were already long gone.

.o.

In the past, after-school class cleaning duties were the death of Kaito because he could be at home and practicing his tricks or inventing new ones. But for the first time since he entered high school, he was more than willing to do it after being appointed for the day, just to enjoy that rare chance of quiet time he didn't have in a long while. Two other classmates were all done with their parts and went home, leaving him alone in the class with the mopping duty left.

For the two painful minutes, Kaito had been trying to scrub off some bastard's chewing gum on the floor, with the same mop that Aoko always used to chase him around in class. And he was so distracted in his task that he didn't realize a presence in the classroom until someone called out for him.

"Kuroba-san?"

He widened his eyes at the familiarity of the voice and spun around, unable to regain his composure quick enough.

"Remember me? I'm Okada." The said man gave a polite smile.

It would be great if he could even forget. "Yeah, I do." Kaito mumbled before looking out of the window "Are you here for Aoko? She's already on her way home." He tried not to sound sour when he spoke.

"That's not it. I came here because I want to speak to you."

"Me?" Kaito raised an eyebrow.

"I don't want to beat around the bush. And I think you wouldn't appreciate it anyway." Okada leaned against a table, as though it could give him the courage-support he needed for entering the class and speaking to the school's most unpredictable prankster in history. "You like Aoko-chan, don't you? But given that you knew each other since young, why are you two still not together?"

That... was indeed very straightforward. It took Kaito quite a while to fully register what just entered his brain. "And is that any of your business?" He replied lamely when he couldn't think of anything better to say.

Okada is remarkably good at selective hearing, and meaningless interpretation too. "Is there a reason why you two aren't together?"

 _A_ lot _of reasons, actually._ Kaito didn't put in any effort to make his short laugh sound less fake than it was. "Why are you asking so much about my relationship with Aoko?"

"Because I like Aoko-chan." He almost exclaimed, with so much zest that it made Kaito sick in the stomach.

He knew Okada liked Aoko, but it irked him a lot just to hear his confession. It made his skin twitch and prickle like thousands of ants running across his body. "And...?" Kaito said with a perfect act of nonchalance. "Why are you telling me for? Some kind of challenge?" He did remember Hakuba mention something about it.

"No." Okada said firmly while Kaito managed to hold in his surprise well. "I just want to know how you feel about her."

Kaito was losing track of the conversation. "I think I've said twice about how is that any of your business?"

"I like Aoko-chan." Okada repeated. "And I want her to be happy."

Those words rang a bell in his head. Kaito frowned.

Okada continued. "I think Aoko-chan likes you too. And if you truly like her, I'll wish you two happiness. But if you don't, and you're just fooling around like what everyone says you often do, I won't hesitate to take her away from you."

Kaito felt himself about to reel. The only thing stopping him was his scrunched up toes and the aching legs muscles that were holding him still, making sure not a single slip of reaction could be noted. He took a long, silent breath and rubbed a tired eye as he smiled. The kind of smile when his patience was losing so thin that with just one more small trigger, it could make him light the world on fire. _That_ , kind of smile.

After an eternity, Kaito finally looked away and continued mopping the floor. "Aren't you being too generous?"

"Not really." Okada shook his head in slight amusement. "I would say you're much more generous than me."

Kaito flicked his gaze towards him. "How is that so?"

"Even before I became friends with Aoko-chan, I've already noticed how close you two were; You two are quite a famous pair of troublemakers in school." Okada lowered his gaze and exhaled in a slow, painful way. "You had her since a long time ago. But now... it's like you've completely let her go. You've let go of such a beautiful, kind-hearted girl from your grasp and if that isn't generous, I don't know what is."

Kaito let out a breath that resembled a laugh. "You really, _really_ like Aoko, don't you?"

Okada straightened in surprise. "Yes, but I'm talking about yo-"

"Why do you need to care about me?" Kaito stopped mopping again. "Or the reasons why I'm not with her and whatnots? What's so important about them?"

"Because I want her to be-"

"I know. You want her to be _happy_." Kaito was trained enough for the past month to stop himself from rolling his eyes. He rested the mop against the wall before turning around to face Okada again. "And that's why you're letting her go now, aren't you? Because you think she likes me and she deserves to be with the one she likes."

Okada widened his eyes, realization dawned upon his face. "Wait. Does that mean that you-"

Kaito raised a hand to stop him from continuing again. "No. This is not about me. This is about Aoko and you." He blabbered on. "You _think_ she likes me, but how do you know if it's true?"

"Maybe I should rephrase my sentence." Okada smiled, almost sheepish. "I don't _think_ Aoko-chan likes you. She _does_ like you." He continued on before Kaito got a chance to stop him. "The way her eyes brighten when she starts talking about you. The way she frowns when she worries about you. The way she laughs when she shares something funny about you..."

Kaito closed his eyes, trying to block out Okada's voice. He didn't want to hear it. He couldn't bear to hear _it._ Nothing was going to change, besides the increase pain in his chest.

 _Stop. Stop. Stop._

"We're getting off topic here." He clenched and unclenched his fists, which was a futile attempt to keep his head clear. "I don't know what you're here for, besides constantly telling me you want Aoko to be happy. I get it already. So what do you want me to do? It's _you_ who wanted her to be happy so _you_ should be doing something about it."

Okada was silent for a moment before he started nodding his head slowly, as though everything was finally clear to him now. "I see. So that's your answer, then."

He didn't respond and grabbed his mop to start mopping again.

"It's nice talking to you, Kuroba-san." Okada said as he stepped away and towards the door. "I'll see you again."

Kaito rather hoped not.

After Okada left the classroom and everything fell into a deep, serene silence, Kaito slowly scanned across the classroom before settling on Aoko's desk.

He wanted her to be happy too.

.o.

"I think we have enough confirmation that Okada-whoever likes Aoko." Kaito said as he picked his teeth, trying to get the piece of food he just ate for lunch out of a small teeth gap. "And judging by how he's being a pussy and doing absolutely nothing, I suggest we should move on to phase three."

"Why?" Akako narrowed her eyes, partially because she was disgusted at his actions and partially because she was annoyed. "Are you sick of the programme that you wanted it to end already?"

"If I don't participate. I'm an asshole. If I participate, I'm even more of an asshole. I'm just an asshole no matter what I do."

Hakuba nodded. "I think you've just perfectly explained how I feel about you in general."

"Seeing you finally willing to help the club warms my heart." Akako said, and Kaito wasn't sure if she was being sarcastic or not, though he didn't care. But at least her words intercepted at the right timing and turned the conversation back to where it started. "So what phase three are you talking about?"

Kaito took in a deep breath, just to make sure his voice would sound as cool and calm when he spoke, unlike how it was all hoarse and miserable when he tried rehearsing it in the morning in front of his bathroom mirror (He was so pathetic that he needed practice for something like that). "Aoko and I should break off."

Akako blinked. Hakuba let out a tiny, soft gasp. Aoko, who was sitting quietly the whole time, was still.

"Break off, you say? In terms of?" Akako was the only one who broke the silence.

"Not in terms of friendship, of course." Kaito said quickly while avoiding Aoko's gaze. "I thought maybe it's because I'm too much of an over-powering threat than a simple competition, that's why Okada-whoever didn't dare to do anything, in fear of rejection." He continued ranting on when no one said a thing. "I knew Aoko since we're both kids, and we grew up together. It's obvious I have the upper hand here."

"So you mean you want to break off this..." Hakuba began gesturing his hands in the air, trying to find the correct word to say. "This whole... _we-might-be-together-but-we-still-aren't-but-it's-still-very-possible_ relationship?"

Kaito hated to admit when Hakuba was right. He simply snorted in agreement.

"I get what your phase three means now." Akako continued as she squeezed her hands together in excitement. "And I agree with it. Maybe it's truly the reason why Okada hasn't been making any move despite such clear signals. He just needed more confidence."

"Yeah. Maybe that's true." Aoko's expression was surprisingly unreadable, but her words were mildly tainted with something like unhappiness. Everyone else might not be able to detect it, but Kaito could. She hadn't say anything much since the beginning, and that had bothered Kaito. But what bothered him even more was that annoying pang of regret that was starting to linger in his chest. It was too late to back out anyway.

"When can we execute the plan?" Hakuba asked.

"Okada always feeds the orphan kittens behind the backyard after school, remember?" Akako clapped her hands, as if to help Kaito trigger the memory he didn't want to care or remember. "That's the perfect place to do it. We can even do it after school today, and you two need to be ready before he reaches."

Kaito knew Akako would definitely jump at the opportunity as fast as it came, but... "Wait, isn't his classroom nearer to the stairs than us."

"Hakuba-kun and I will stall time. All you need to care about is to act your part and not look like a stiff cucumber."

"I- what? _A stiff cucumber_?"

Aoko raised her hand. "But what if Okada leaves before we finish our act? You know, he's polite and may not want to intrude what he assumed is our private conversation."

"Don't give him too much credit, Aoko-san." Hakuba gave a knowing smile. "Given that he's interested in you and he regards Kuroba as a major threat, I highly think he'll be interested in what you two are talking about."

"You sound pretty experienced."

"Thank you."

"That wasn't a compliment." Kaito said dryly. Hakuba was right, though. Kaito was more than sure Okada would stay and watch, given their conversation yesterday and how he was constantly interested in the depth of their relationship. He claimed he wanted Aoko to be happy? That was only just half of the truth.

"We need a good reason for Nakamori-san to ditch Kuroba-kun. Any ideas?"

Hakuba, being a gentleman, laughed loudly, but behind the back of his hands. "Given his qualities, I think there's a long list for Aoko-san to choose."

"Shut up." Kaito growled.

"Do you have your own ideas?" Hakuba asked Aoko.

There was a specific clarity about Aoko's face that Kaito had never seen in anyone else before. She spoke after a long exhale. "We're best friend since young and we've been through a lot. He knows magic, and he does it sometimes to cheer me up—"

Kaito blinked.

"—And he also-"

"Nakamori-san," Akako cleared her throat. "You're supposed to be thinking about something _negative_ and used it as a reason for the act."

Aoko rubbed the back of her head sheepishly, her face flushed. "I'm still not sure on what to say yet."

"There's bound to be something Okada has and Kuroba doesn't." Hakuba interjected helpfully. "Perhaps it's because Okada has nicer breaths and hair that doesn't look like a nest?"

"That's shallow, though it fits your nature." Kaito remarked wryly.

"Thanks everyone." Aoko said before another petty argument between the two broke out. She afforded a tiny smile. "I'll think about it and I promise I'll finish the script before the time comes."

"Are you sure?" Akako asked, slightly skeptical. She didn't mean any harm, but she wouldn't want a good plan to be ruined after all.

But Aoko didn't hesitate in her answer. "Yeah."

It was supposed to be like this; Kaito had planned this the moment he reached home and stared at his ceiling the previous night. But even so, he still wasn't exactly looking forward to later either.

.o.

"Kaito." Aoko took in a deep breath to settle herself as she continued with a shaky voice. "We- We just can't be together."

It wasn't bad of a start. Kaito never knew Aoko was that good at planning a script. "Why not?"

He wasn't sure if Akako and Hakuba's stalling plan worked, but at least when they rushed over, Okada was nowhere to be found. He just hoped they start the act at the right place and time, or it would all be just a waste of an effort.

"Because you don't get anything." She sniffed and looked away.

"Don't get what? Tell me what is the thing that I don't get."

"There's no point." She let out a shuddering breath. Her fingers began fidgeting like a child, and her nervous features - pursed lips, twitchy cheeks, slightly red nose, furrowed brows... it all reminded him of the night when he found her crying under her dining table during a storm a decade ago because she was afraid and alone at home. And he remembered how much he regretted not giving her the hug she needed back then, because all he knew at that age was to pull out roses and tug her hair. This time round, he wanted to rectify that mistake and do it now.

But he couldn't do it. It wasn't the route he was supposed to go. He inwardly shook the thoughts out of his head as he watched her for a long moment. "If you don't tell me, there's no way I can underst-"

"I'd loved you since a long time ago!"

Kaito straightened in alarm.

He should say something, or produce some reaction, but he was too frozen to even blink. It was supposed to be act, wasn't it? But to hear how she yelled those words out with her croaked voice made his heart swell unexpectedly in a sort of sadness, because he knew there was some truth in it, and that he couldn't pretend to be surprised at all.

Aoko squirmed in her lonely space. Even though she was standing before him, it seemed so far away. "I'd loved you since a long time ago." She repeated quietly, her eyes glistering with tears but they didn't fall. "But you started to change, and you- you pushed me away. And now... Everything is all just a matter of bad timing."

Those tears...

It wasn't simply _part of an act_ anymore.

His ears twitched at the distant sound of a broken twig, but he didn't have the time or heart to care who it was. He wanted to say something, anything, to at least end the supposedly fake _we-can't-be-together_ scene well. But his heart was stuck in his throat, desperately fighting to get out.

"Aoko-"

"You've never truly liked me," she wiped her eyes furiously with the palm of her hands. "Because you'd never understand that sort of thing."

 _No. That's not-_

Kaito's chance to react was gone again as Aoko turned, her back facing him.

"So it's fine for us. No feelings hurt." She finished what she had to say with her tiny voice and began trudging away from his direction.

By the time he regained back the ability to breathe, she was already gone.

.

* * *

A/N: HELLO BABIES it's been long...  
This was supposed to be a multi-chap fic, but knowing that I have commitment issues, the most I can do is to make this as a two-part fic, which also explains the lengthy-yet-rush scenes here and there. So _tadaaaahh_ , congratulations, you have just finished reading part one of the most overused, cliché high-school romance fic _ever_.  
And also, pardon that cliffhanger because I'm evil.  
Reviews are always appreciated!


	2. And You Came Back Again

Before You Go (2/2)

When Kaito first joined the KID Capture Brigade, the last thing he expected was sanity from the club. / "We're going to match-make Nakamori-san with the one she's meant to be." / See? Wasn't he right about everything?

* * *

"That was a brilliant and convincing act; Okada was totally zoned out. He walked into a pillar and even apologized to it." Akako chortled behind her hand, her laughter mixed with amusement and glee. It was ninety-percent triumph, since the phase three worked, obviously.

"Did he?" Aoko gave a soft chuckle in return, all traces of emotions from before were gone. It was as though Kaito had imagined them all from the start. Seeming to notice his gaze, Aoko glanced at him and he instantly looked away, his attempt to detect a crack in her facade failed.

"Now it's the time to wait." Akako cackled once more, and Kaito felt the temperature in the science lab dropped by a few degrees.

Hakuba nodded in agreement before eyeing over at Kaito. "Someone's grumpy."

"No one's grumpy." Kaito scowled, and he shut up just in time before he felt himself starting to stutter.

Akako cleared her throat. "Anyway, the meeting's over for now. There's nothing much we can do anyway until Okada makes a move." She stood up from her seat and everyone slowly mirrored the same, except for Kaito. He was the fastest.

"You guys head on first. I'm going to the library to borrow some books for an assignment." Aoko waved her goodbyes, and she didn't really stop to give anyone, or even Kaito, the chance to offer company. Not that he would or could either. There was this unseen force that was making him unable to look her in the eye, no matter how skilled his poker face or acting was.

He simply watched her go.

After Aoko disappeared down the corridor, Hakuba crossed his arms before casting the usual irritating, pitiful smile at Kaito. "Do you need me to send you home?"

"I have legs. I can walk."

Akako casually strolled towards Kaito and hushed not-very-softly. "You can always call me if you're feeling lonely."

"Or me." Hakuba grinned.

"I'm _not_ lonely." Kaito gritted his teeth and rubbed the ear Akako whispered into like it was infected.

Once Kaito reached home and slumped onto his chair in his quiet and sparse bedroom, it didn't take him long to take back what he had said.

.o.

There was no queue at the bread shop, but Kaito was going to use it as an excuse for not going back to class for lunch.

He had enough of Akako and Hakuba hoarding around his desk, treating as if he was some bonfire during winter. Hakuba's pitiful glances were annoying enough, but Akako made it all worse with her breathing down his neck as she read out the tarot card she picked for him that day. She'd done it thrice after she claimed he wasn't listening for the first two times. Indeed, he didn't, but that didn't mean he was going to allow for the fourth time to happen.

And so, despite Aoko being in class, he came out and bought the bread he wanted before going to school's backyard to enjoy his peace. He sat down on the curb of the flower garden and unwrapped his sandwich, the pungent smell of ham and cheese filled his nose. If Aoko questioned the truth on whether he really ate his lunch or skipped his meal, he supposed he had a powerful burp to mark as proof later

"Hey."

Kaito nearly choked on his bread. His eyes widened as the man, who nearly killed him with the surprise, trudged over to where he was with a can of drink in his hand.

"Why are you here?" Kaito said after swallowing his bread, eyes slightly narrowed when Okada stopped in front of him.

"I spotted you while you were buying bread." He pointed at the evidence in Kaito's hands. "So I bought myself a drink and followed you here." He glanced around and eyed at the empty spot beside him. "It's a nice place for a quiet lunch. Can I sit here?"

 _Quiet, yes, but not anymore._ Kaito yawned, his jaw popped. He wasn't keen in beating around the bush. "Aoko's in class."

"I know." Taking it that Kaito didn't reject him, Okada settled himself next to him and cracked his can of drink open. "But the one I'm looking for is you."

It wasn't surprising. Of course Okada would look for him after yesterday's incident (to check up on your opponent, perhaps). But for the sake of the act, Kaito raised his eyebrows. "For?"

"About Aoko-chan." He said suavely.

"Ah, yeah. Why did I even ask."

"Pardon me for being straightforward, again." Okada squirmed uncomfortably in his seat and looked at him seriously. He was waiting for Kaito to respond, to give some kind of acknowledgment that he was prepared for whatever thing he was about to hear. So Kaito simply gave a half-hearted nod and Okada took it as a signal to continue. "I'd unintentionally eavesdropped your conversation with Aoko-chan yesterday. I know it's wrong, but I couldn't help it."

It was stupid, but since he'd already started, he might as well act it all out. "Really?" Kaito feigned a mildly composed yet startled look. "So you're also the one who stepped on the twig?"

"You have good hearing skills." Okada widened his eyes as an indicator of impressed. "And a good memory too."

"So what about it?" Kaito yawned again. He hadn't slept well since last night, obviously. "Are you here to announce the date of your confession or something?" His heart was used to the heavy feeling that it didn't bother him much anymore.

Okada scrutinized Kaito, and under his watchful gaze, he gave a small smile. "You looked like you have more things to tell me instead."

"No. I don't."

"Yes you do." Okada paused, as though reflecting on his words. "Perhaps an advice for me? About Aoko-chan."

"... Huh?" _What the hell is he talking about?_

"You know her more than me." Okada relaxed his shoulder and gave Kaito a knowing smile. "There's bound to be things to share about; Things I should know about her."

Kaito took a bite off his bread, just to stall time and process what he should say. "Does that mean you're going to confess to her?" He repeated, since he didn't realize, until now, that Okada hadn't replied his question previously.

"I'll tell you later."

Kaito could imagine Hakuba saying it with a wink, but Okada didn't. And for that, Kaito disliked him a tad bit lesser.

And now... about the _advice_ he was supposed to say... What could he even say? Something for Okada-whoever to use for chasing Aoko? The thought suddenly made sense in his head.

"Do you know what Aoko likes?" Kaito began.

"What... she likes?" Okada blinked and considered for a moment. All these while, Akako had been setting them up only with things that were of Okada's interest. Of course he wouldn't know what she liked, unless Aoko told him. And judging from his expression, it seemed she didn't.

"I can tell you, if you're keen."

Okada stayed silent, prompting him to continue.

"She likes horror movie, but she's too scared to watch alone." Images of Aoko sitting beside him as she dug her face into his sleeve and chanted math equations flashed across his mind, but he pressured himself to focus. "If you ever watch one with her, do it in the afternoon. Afterwards, take her to an ice cream parlour. She needs it, even if she won't admit. And most importantly after all, initiate a text conversation or call her before she sleeps, and make sure you talk to her until she does." Kaito's lips couldn't help but tugged at the memory. He even screenshot some of their conversation because it was too funny and ridiculous, but mostly funny because of her dramatic replies about how she thought her lamp by her bed moved or something. But as quick as it came, he brushed the memory away before continuing.

"Cakes and sweets are her weaknesses. Especially cakes." He confirmed with a nod. "Take her to a new cafe once in a while and she'll be really happy. Just make sure to find one that serves other drink options besides caffeine. Aoko is okay with it, but she wouldn't be able to sleep when she has it. And she-" Kaito casually looked up, but instantly stopped his sentence and frowned when he realized Okada was gaping at him, his mouth hanging open in astonishment.

"I'm sorry." Okada rubbed the back of his head sheepishly after knowing he got caught for staring. "It's just that this is the first time you've spoke so much to me. I've heard things about you from many people, but it's refreshing to have my own impression on you too."

"So instead of listening, you're analyzing me?" Kaito scowled.

"Of course not!" He laughed quickly to dispel Kaito's contemptuous doubts. "I did truly listen and remember every single thing you said."

Kaito scoffed and finished the remaining chunk of sandwich in one go. "I'm done anyway." He said with his mouth full. It was a lie; he had tons of things to say about Aoko, but he had enough looking like an idiot. "Since you get it, you should go and find her instead of wasting time here."

"You can't be expecting me to say thanks and leave, not after seeing you say all that with that _kind_ of expression."

The back of Kaito's neck prickled and grew warm. His instinct became doubly attentive and face instantly guarded. "What are you talking about?"

"I'm not stupid." Okada sighed. "I have eyes to see and a brain to think."

"The last time I remembered, like fifteen seconds ago, we were talking about Aoko, not me."

Okada shook his head, a slight twinkle of amusement filled his eyes before his face fell lax. "Aoko-chan is right about you. You really don't like to talk about yourself."

"Yeah, she is right." Kaito mumbled and felt something in his chest squeezed. It was ironic, really, that he lied to her more than anyone else in the world, yet somehow she could understand him more than most people in his life did.

"Fine. Then I'll start talking about her, if that's what you want." Okada was quick on his feet, as though he knew Kaito would react this way. "I did intend to tell Aoko-chan how I feel about her after yesterday, the day when you two... fought." He looked distant for a moment before he returned to look at Kaito. "I saw her at the library, and I thought it was my chance to do it right there and then. But I couldn't."

Kaito froze. Something at the back of his head, or the strung of his heart, knew the answer before it was clarified.

"I couldn't; because she was crying." Okada finally said.

He could already imagine it even when Okada said nothing to describe it. The tall shelves that surrounded her like walls, keeping her enclosed and safe from the world as she quietly stood in a corner, clutching an open book and hiding behind it while her hot tears flowed down her cheeks. The book couldn't trap the sound of her hoarse sobs, and being guilty for the disturbance, she would hold her breath to stay silent and count to five before letting it go. And it was a cycle again.

It was weird how he managed to imagine it all so perfectly, and he wondered if it was because he dreamt of her crying before. Maybe. Maybe that was why.

"One part of myself told me it was a good opportunity. I could offer her a shoulder to cry on, you know, those kind of thing you extract out from a romance novel." Okada laughed before it died down to a croak. "But another part of myself told me the person she wanted it to be wasn't me."

This was the first time Kaito find it hard to keep up with his nonchalance. He rubbed a tired eye and he felt his fingers turned slightly moist. It must be from the couple of yawns, although his heart answered otherwise. "So... you didn't do it?"

"No." Okada continued before Kaito could narrow his eyes. "It's sort of heartless of me to walk away, but I don't want her to start imagining me as you. It won't do any good for the three of us."

"..."

"If time repeats again, I'll still do the same thing." Okada chugged down the remaining of his drink and exhaled a sigh as he glanced over at Kaito. "What about you? If time repeats, will you do the same thing?"

There were _many_ things; the fake break-off, the summer festival last year... but Okada sounded oddly specific, as if he knew something Kaito didn't. "What thing?"

"The thing that is stopping you from liking Aoko-chan."

 _Being Kaitou Kid_ was the first and only thing that popped in his mind. Kaito stared down at his hand and images started flashing across his mind. Instead of the sandwich wrapper in his hand, it disappeared to become the jewels he'd stolen, the locks he'd picked, the bombs he'd dropped... all the times when he was doing what he thought was right ended up being...

"... Kuroba-san?"

"I don't know what you're talking about." Kaito crushed the wrapper in his hand and swatted the bread crumbs that fell on his thigh.

"Yes you do." Okada abruptly stood up and eyed him from the corner of his eyes.

This was the first time someone rebuke Kaito's fake obliviousness. Instead of arguing back, he stayed silent, giving away nothing. In fact, there was nothing to give away.

"It's always interesting to talk to you, Kuroba-san. I'll see you around."

Kaito watched Okada as he tossed the can into a nearby bin and left. He didn't know how long he had sat there, dreaming about things he couldn't understand, until the school bell rang, indicating the end of lunch break. It was only then he found the will to trudge back to class and face the aches in his body again.

.o.

Kaito had originally planned to fix his tools and practice on his shooting after he came back from school, but he was too tired to do anything as of late. He only changed out to his home clothes, plopped onto the bed, and four meaningless hours magically passed as he watched the ceiling turned from sun-set orange to nigh-sky dark above his head. It was funny how time could fly so fast when he was doing absolutely nothing (besides thinking, wondering, and contemplating the what-ifs and could-have-beens).

He was hungry, he thought, and his stomach grumbled on the cue. But he remembered he hadn't gone to the shopping mart since, like, three months ago. He doubted the milk or bread he stocked up then were still edible. Besides, Aoko probably threw it out for him already, in fear that he was too lazy to read the expiry date and ate it all (and it did happen before).

His phone suddenly buzzed on his bed, lighting up the screen in his dark room. He raised his head and took a peak, checking the message and the time. Great. It's already nine. He was starving _and_ useless today.

Also, taking note that the message was from Jii, he rubbed his eyes and brought the phone closer to his face, the light glowed and made his eyes squint.

 _"I've got the updated list of the Big Jewels that are coming into Japan."_

"Great." Kaito pushed himself out of his bed and grabbed his jacket from the chair. He quickly tapped his reply _"I'll come over now"_ and skipped down the stairs.

It seemed he would only be starving and not useless today. At least there was also something to keep distract him from these recent things now.

He hastily slipped on his shoes and stomped out of the door, not wanting to waste any more time. The cool, night breeze immediately slapped him even more awake, but something else did better to stun him in his tracks. Something, shaped as a human named Nakamori Aoko, was standing a few metres away from his gate and distractedly staring upwards at...

"Aoko...?" He whispered to himself. After a few tentative steps, he walked out of his gates to confirm again. "Aoko?" He called out, loud enough for her to hear.

The said girl jumped, her eyes darting around to find the source of his voice before she looked at him. He could see her face flushing despite the lack of light. "K-Kaito?!"

"What are you doing outside my house?" He glanced up to his bedroom window, which he noticed was what Aoko was staring at the entire time. He fixated his gaze back at her. "Are you spying on me?"

"I'm n-not! I'm just passing by here and saw your lights were off; it's weird since you don't sleep so early. So it's because you're going out." Besides anger and annoyance, her third most used emotion was being embarrassed by his teases, and he liked the way she flustered while trying to deny whatever she thought she was accused of. It was cute. "Where are you going at such a timing?"

"I can ask the same to you."

Aoko didn't bother playing the I-asked-you-first game. She showed him the books she was hugging onto the entire time. "I'm going to Sayaka's house to do some research for the Math club." She looked him up and down and quirked an eyebrow. "Then, what about you?"

"I've left something at Jii's bar and I'm going over to get it." Despite being the cause of all these... aches, he didn't mind seeing Aoko. But this time he wondered if he'd regretted seeing her, since saying another lie made him feel worse.

"Oh I see." Aoko nodded. "Tell him I'll visit soon and drink some of his ginger ale!"

"You and your ginger ale..."

"What? It's one of the greatest drink!"

He started walking and she followed after sticking out a tongue, their steps fell into sync naturally. He had no idea where Sayaka's house was, but there was only one path down the street and it would take a while before the road splits into different directions. He tugged his hands into his pockets and shuffled his feet as he walked, kicking some dead leaves and fallen branches while he was at it. "Anyway... is Okada-whoever there?"

"Nope. It's just Sayaka and me."

Kaito wondered if her lack of emotion in her voice was as simple as it seemed. "Did anything happen between you two?"

"No, he didn't confess to me."

His heart skipped a beat at the thought. "Not that. I meant in terms of other things."

She glanced at him, eyes curious. "I don't get it."

"Maybe you insulted his favourite cactus, or he discovered you betrayed cats because you love dogs more."

Aoko rolled her eyes. "You and I know that there's no such thing."

"Right." Kaito muttered. "But it's been nearly a week."

Her soft laughter faded as she lowered her gaze to her walking feet. "To me it feels like it happened just yesterday."

Kaito felt the same, but he was a bit better at hiding it and kept the thoughts shut in his head. "Then what is he up to anyway?"

She was silent for a while, considering if she should say whatever she wanted to say. In the end, she gave in. "Don't tell Akako-chan or Hakuba-kun about this."

He looked up sharply. "What?"

"Actually Okada... He's been avoiding me as of late."

 _"If time repeats again, I'll still do the same thing."_

Kaito frowned at the memory. _Is that ass-hat serious?_ He gave a quick glimpse at Aoko. "Why?" He said when he realized he hadn't replied.

"I don't know. He didn't tell me anything." She shrugged, tired and careless. "I guess it's always easier for everyone to push me away than to talk about it."

The end of her sentence led Kaito to stop dead in his tracks. Aoko continued a few steps further before stopping too. She turned, her hair whipped across her back and some of it fell over her shoulder. He didn't say anything, and neither did she, but some parts of her features gave it away. The slight distress in her wavering blue eyes and her pursed lips showed the regret she felt for letting those words slip out. And she had no idea how to retract it back.

He wasn't going to let her anyway.

"About what you said that day..." Kaito squeezed his hands that were hiding in his pockets into a fist. "Was it true?"

"I've said quite a few things." She reminded him and hugged the books tighter to her chest.

He knew everything was true, except for one that he wasn't sure about. "You said I've pushed you away." He didn't know, much less realize he had ever done so to Aoko. Those mocking teases about her butt size, yes, but he never thought he, as himself, would hurt Aoko _that_ way. The way that made her miserable and lonely; those were the things he had already done as Kaitou Kid.

Aoko glanced away for a millisecond. "I can't remember what I exactly said. Maybe I did."

"So was it true?"

"None of it was real." Aoko couldn't perfect her fake laughter and began walking again. "It was all an act, remember?"

Kaito's legs were faster and longer, so without having to try, he jogged effortlessly and easily cut her path within a second, and she stopped just in time before she crashed into his chest. "Then let me ask you again, seriously, for real this time." He didn't allow her to regain her composure and continued. "Tell me the things I don't understand."

"What-"

"Tell me everything that I need to know," Kaito squared his shoulders, mustering every courage in his nerves to speak the next. "Things that are hurting you." _So you don't have to go hide behind walls and cry behind books anymore._

It was one of the rare times Kaito was being frank with his words, and he definitely said them with no intention to injure. But Aoko looked at him, unguarded for a moment, and he saw that she was _hurting_. Her eyes were filled with a kind of uncertainty and confusion that pained Kaito to see. He wondered, whatever emotion that made Aoko show such expression, must be even unbearable for her to feel.

"I don't think this starts with me." She broke the eye contact, her eyes glistered before it was gone when she rubbed them. "It starts with you."

"Starts with me?" He tried his very best to pretend those weren't tears, though it would only fool the blind.

She looked at him again, with a gaze that jolt his body still. "You should be the one telling me what I should know."

 _What...?_

"Aoko-chan!"

They both turned. There, standing in the middle of the path was the same girl Kaito recognized in the cafe during their make-Okada-jealous date.

"Sayaka?" Aoko gasped and stepped out of his shadow.

"I was wondering what took you so long so I came out to check." Sayaka trudged towards them, seeming to know fully well she had just disturbed something she shouldn't, though it was too late to rectify it. "Are you both... okay?"

"We're perfectly fine." Aoko answered for the two of them.

"He's that guy at the cafe, right?" Sayaka jabbed an elbow into Aoko's ribs teasingly. "The one that _likes_ you."

"Sayaka..." Aoko groaned.

"Do I need to give you two another ten minutes?" Sayaka whispered not-so-subtlety again. Kaito guessed she didn't understand what the concept of whispering meant.

"There's no need." Aoko tugged onto Sayaka's arm and turned to Kaito, showing no signs of what she felt during their previous conversation. "We'll go now. See you in school tomorrow."

"Uh, yeah." He gave a small wave as he watched Aoko go. She was smiling at whatever Sayaka was saying, but her slow, unsteady footsteps told him otherwise. He stayed at his spot until they made a turn at the intersection, disappearing behind the tall walls.

Thinking about it, Kaito was partially glad for the interruption. Until now, if Aoko was still looking at him with her hardened gaze and waiting for his answer, he'd still have no idea what to say.

.o.

"So, what are your plans now?"

"... My plan is to spend my time being useful as a member of the KID Capture Brigade, until you came and ruin everything."

"Glad to know I'm capable of doing that, but I'm not referring to the heist or the jewel." Hakuba stepped away from the case that trapped the prized _Golden Flower_ , which Kaito had been staring peacefully until Hakuba came to interrupt his thoughts. "I'm talking about Aoko-san."

It was the only topic Kaito was willing to touch upon with Hakuba. "What about her?"

"You didn't react when she told us the news this morning; about how she and Okada are going to remain as friends." Hakuba crossed his arms, his eyes observing. "I was expecting you to show some elements of surprise or happiness."

"Your point is?" Kaito drawled. He hadn't once look away from the glass case.

"It means Aoko-san told you beforehand, didn't she?" Hakuba continued before Kaito could deny. "So what are you going to do now?"

Kaito straightened and glanced across the museum hall, which was bustling with policemen and guards, until he noticed Aoko standing at the corner of the room with Akako and admiring some ancient sculptures on the wall. "Do what?" He glanced back at Hakuba, bored.

Hakuba smirked. "You really don't understand, do you?"

Something about Hakuba's words were painfully familiar. Kaito narrowed his eyes in a warning manner.

"Perhaps you also didn't notice since you're so busy being someone else," Hakuba continued. "But Aoko-san's been slightly off for quite some time, especially during your heist—"

"You mean _Kaitou Kid's_ heist."

"— And you should take note." Hakuba finished.

"What do you mean?" Kaito seriously asked. There was no sarcasm or mockery in his tone. And perhaps Hakuba could sense it too, so being sympathetic, he explained without a hitch.

"There's always a loophole in the plan to capture Kaitou Kid, and _he_ is _not_ entirely credible for that."

If Kaito had to choose, he'd rather believe it was Akako pulling strings and tricks. Aoko couldn't have possibly created any loopholes when the last thing she wanted was for Kid to escape. He scoffed to himself. "So? Are you trying to say it's Aoko who planted those loopholes?"

"Not in a direct way." Hakuba tightened his arms around his chest and cast a sidelong glance at the other two female members across the hall. "At least she knew about the loopholes, but pretended to not see it." He muttered, almost too softly for an obnoxious detective to say.

The conversation was getting too random to believe. Kaito returned to view the _Golden Flower_ again. "You're going around in circles. First you're talking about Okada-whoever and now you're talking about Kid. So what's the main point anyway?"

"It all leads back to the same thing."

Instead of rolling his eyes, Kaito gave a smile, the kind that was stuck between peaceful and wanting to punch a wall. "And what is it?"

Hakuba pinched the bridge of his nose and gave a resigned sigh. "She's expecting something from you."

 _Expecting... something?_ The thought did bring back the memory of the last summer festival, where there were tons of moments that Aoko must have expected but he didn't make it happen. But this time... did he really miss out something important? His frown deepened. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Sorry, I've forgotten, again." Hakuba raised both of his hands and gestured two quotation signs. "Because _you wouldn't understand that sort of thing_."

Kaito scowled, blatantly and officially triggered. He swore to himself he would go to Hakuba's house and put fart bombs into his schoolbags tonight.

Two hours later, Kaitou Kid was standing on the roof and shining the _Golden Flower_ under the moon. The yellow gem was reflecting the light beautifully, but it didn't do what it was supposed to do to prove that it was Pandora.

He kept the jewel in his suit, leaving it till tomorrow to decide how he'd return the jewel. For now, the only thing that was bugging him was the lack of running and chasing for today's heist. It had already been a full five minutes, but no one had bothered to come and check the rooftop, where it was the most obvious and common place to make his getaway. If it was in the past, he would already be facing at least a dozen of policemen, while being prepared to change his disguise after being pounced on.

Was this the loophole Hakuba was talking about?

Even if Akako did help him, she would make sure he'd know he was in her debts. And Aoko... Aoko hated him. There was zero chance.

He reckoned it was because Hakuba's words had poisoned his mind. It just couldn't be. Perhaps it was all that smug-ass detective's plan; to confuse and distract him.

Having no more reasons to stay, he readied his wings and took flight (and towards Hakuba's home for the fart bomb plan). The police cars blasted their sirens and started to chase after his tail not long later, and it was enough to convince him that he was simply overthinking, and that everything was still the same.

.o.

"In case you've been doubting me, I'm a fair and trustworthy leader."

Kaito, while in the midst of helping the drama club to paint some fake trees, turned towards Akako, who he couldn't believe had said that. He stared at her for two seconds before returning to paint the brown cardboard green. "Are you reciting your script? I didn't know an old maid have such lines. Are you acting as a rebel and going against the kingdom?"

"I'm _the_ queen." Akako snarled and dusted her jewel-infested dress for emphasis. She glanced around, watching other drama members preparing the props on the stage before casting her gaze back on Kaito. "And that's not the script. I'm talking about the KID Capture Brigade."

"Uh huh." Kaito dipped his brush into the green paint and splatted it heavily onto the board, a few specks nearly landed on Akako's face. He was inwardly glad it didn't, even though he _did_ do it on purpose. He wasn't sure if his wrist would survive.

"I haven't got the time to whip up something nice for you, but here it is." She showed him a piece of pink wrapped chocolate resting on her gloved palm.

"My mom told me not to take any candy from a stranger."

Akako rolled her eyes. "This is your promised welfare."

"Not that I care, but how is the treatment fair?" He plopped the paintbrush into the tin and pointed at the pathetic chocolate. "We'd spent more than a month getting Okada-whoever and Aoko together; even though it failed. And all I got is a chocolate."

She smirked in a way that made Kaito regret he had ever complaint. "This isn't _just_ a chocolate."

Kaito stared at it askance, before looking away. "No thanks."

"I'm not finished."

"Me too." Kaito elaborately waved at his fake tree. "I'm not finished either." Damn. He shouldn't have let the drama club president convince him to help, just because he was one of the few people that didn't have much commitments _in school_ (Being Kaitou Kid wasn't part as school activities, sadly). He'd forgotten Akako was involved in the play as well.

"This chocolate is special." Akako continued

"That's already enough reason for me to not take it."

Akako didn't listen, or care. "Name one thing you wish to forget and this chocolate will grant it after you eat it." She waved it playfully, as though she was trying to entice a child.

Kaito scowled and swatted her hand away. "Why would I need that?"

"So you can forget the pain and hurt that Nakamori-san brought to you." Akako stepped a little closer, her dress brushing against his legs. "It's for your sake."

"I don't know what you're talking about." Kaito pulled the 2D tree five steps away from Akako and resumed his painting. "Anyway, I'm legitimately very busy. Because your stupid castle is so bloody big, I have thirty-two more trees to paint. So if you'll excuse me."

At the greatest moment, the director suddenly yelled from below the stage. "Koizumi-san! Can you come over for a moment? There's a slight change to the script!"

"Sure." Akako gracefully shouted back and Kaito noticed half of the people in the hall swooned to her voice. She chortled, since she noticed it too, before her batshit-crazy red eyes suddenly flickered towards him like a raging fire, but it was gone once she proceeded to walk down the stairs.

Although there wasn't a single wind, Kaito legitimately shivered.

.o.

"This is your prize for being so nice today!" Aoko blurted and set two plates of (his favourite) hamburger steak onto the dining table. She was about to go back to the kitchen to grab the utensils when Kaito pulled her back to her seat and went to get them instead. He could feel her eyes on him as he moved across the cabinets, her gaze was fond enough to warm the back of his neck.

He returned to the dining table and pass her the fork and knife. "By the way, I'm _always_ nice."

"No, you're not." She took it and gave him a mild, withering look.

"I'm hurt." Kaito theatrically placed a hand over his chest and slumped onto his seat beside her.

Aoko scoffed, but her eyes softened when she watched him begin eating. "Keiko told me you behaved well today, too. No pranks, no games. Nothing. And you even helped to paint the clouds."

"It was easy anyway." He said, with his mouth full. He didn't know all those painting could get him to be _so_ hungry.

"Maybe you can consider joining the drama club's props team." She started on her food too. "They're lacking manpower recently."

"I'm too busy for that." He said mindlessly before realizing he shouldn't have took this route and used it as an excuse, even if it was true. Besides _things_ that weren't part of Aoko's knowledge, what could he even be busy about?

But before Aoko could argue or say anything about it, she paused and pointed at his shirt. "What's that thing in your front pocket anyway?"

Kaito raised his eyebrows and looked down to his school uniform. Indeed, there was an odd bulge in his chest pocket. He didn't remember putting anything in there, and the weird thing was he didn't realize it until now too (that was actually the most troubling factor). He tentatively felt the hard object before giving up on his empty millions guesses and fished it out of his pocket-

It was the goddamn chocolate.

Aoko lightly gasped and dropped her fork to admire the shiny pink wrapper. "It seems expensive."

"It's mine." He set it aside, far enough for Aoko to _not_ reach.

"I didn't even say I wanted it." Aoko scowled, her features scandalized.

"You didn't. But you looked like you do."

Her scowl deepened. "Where did you get it from?"

"Someone from the drama club gave it to me because I'm too kind and pure-hearted." Another lie, but what else could he _really_ say?

She rolled her eyes. "It's bad when people starts complimenting you. Your ego is five levels above the rest."

"But I still got a chocolate and you have none." He said it out like a song.

"Prick." Aoko stuck out her tongue and grabbed the remote next to her plate to switch on the TV just opposite their dinning table, letting it be a good distraction to her agitated mood.

The first channel that lit the screen was the news.

And to Kaito's _greatest_ luck, it wasn't something he was keen to see at the moment.

His eyes twitched at the bolded red letters; _Kaitou KID's heist is coming in three days!_ above the reporter's head.

He had almost forgotten today was the day he tasked Jii to drop his heist note into the police HQ's mail box. Maybe Jii had texted him about the success of the mission, but being too busy all afternoon, he didn't have the chance to check his phone or reply. He licked his lips and took two silent breaths to calm himself down. This wasn't the first time he watched the TV broadcasting about Kid with Aoko anyway. Hell, he'd even done it before with her dad right beside him. No biggie.

Aoko left the TV on.

 _"Just a few hours ago, Kaitou Kid sent a note to announce his next upcoming heist."_ The screen turned black for a millisecond, until it showed the enlarge scanned image of the said letter. _"On this Thursday at 7pm, I will come to retrieve the_ Emerald's Heart _. - Kaitou Kid"_ The screen suddenly turned back to the reporter again. "Let us now hear what the director of the museum have to say..."

Kaito turned away disinterestedly and glimpsed at Aoko from the corner of his eyes. She didn't have much reaction and was already poking into her steak.

"Your Dad's gonna be busy again." He broke the silence, just for the sake of it.

"Yeap." She answered plainly, and it was hard to notice any crack of emotion in her voice. But she was poking into her steak again, flipping it like she was intending to cook it for the second time.

He looked away, deciding he wouldn't be able to keep up the apathy-pretence if he continued to stare. His gaze settled onto the chocolate on the table, his eyes focused at it, as if it held the answers to the universe.

"Hey," He reached out for the chocolate and started twiddling with the wrapper. When he knew he had Aoko's attention, he continued. "Let's say there's a spell casted on this chocolate; If you name one thing you want to forget, the chocolate will grant it after you eat it." He then showed it towards Aoko. "What will you do if someone gives this to you?"

Her curious eyes blinked at him, and then at the chocolate. "What will I do...?"

"What do you want to forget the most?" He corrected and specified his question for her.

Aoko let out a breath that resembled a laugh. "What makes you think I'll choose to eat the chocolate?"

He shrugged and placed the chocolate back on the table. It was his turn to poke his steak. "I thought you would. There's bound to be things you want to forget." His eyes moved to the TV screen. "Like Kaitou Kid."

She straightened in alarm, her grasp around her utensils loosened. "Kaitou Kid?" She repeated, like the concept of _Kaitou Kid_ was suddenly foreign and new to her. "What about him?"

"I mean-" He wasn't sure on how to react to Aoko's tense posture as he quickly gathered his thoughts and found an easy answer. "You hate him."

Her shoulders slacked and there was a second when he thought she was avoiding his gaze. "No. That doesn't mean I'll want to erase him from my memories."

"Why not?" He said in a heartbeat.

"It's partially because of him than I've become who I am today. If he's gone from my memory, than who will I be?" Aoko explained naturally, as though she was reading her answer off a memorized script. Kaito didn't have the time to fully register what she said before she spoke again. "Then what about you?" She asked and tilted her head. "Do you want to eat the chocolate?"

It was as though time stood still as Aoko looked at him with that genuine puzzlement in her eyes. The slight static and soft mumbles from the TV saved the room from enveloping into a cold silence, but their sync heartbeats, soft breaths, and every words that echoed in the house were more than enough. His fingers twitched, and he looked down to see their plates and hands resting on the table, almost touching.

No matter if he was running away from Aoko's mop in his school uniform or running away from Aoko's rage in his white uniform, both were irreplaceable moments. Even if she caused him any kind of pain, be it physically or mentally, there was no way in hell he would want to forget it, even if Akako thought it was better for his sake.

Likewise, he was who he was now because Aoko was there in his life and mind, too.

"I wouldn't, either."

The short silence was interrupted as Aoko exclaimed "Then I can have it then!" before stretching over the table, her fingers nearly touching the chocolate. He snatched it right in time, breaking her chance.

"No." He glowered back.

"Why can't I eat the chocolate?" She pouted. "It's not as if it's really casted with a spell."

 _You wouldn't want to know that, Ahouko._ "I already said it's mine."

They returned to bickering over pointless things again. And it was always these pointless things that brought them closer than they were before.

.o.

Kaitou Kid sighed and stared at his watch.

It was five minutes past eight at night. The sky was too dark to determine how long the rain would last, though it didn't matter to him when he was already drenched from head to toe. His soaked suit was getting heavier and the wind was freezing his bone to its core, but he couldn't leave the dark, unsheltered alley to take cover, not until when he got the jewel _out_. Kid sighed again and rummaged through his tools before whipping out two screwdrivers.

Thinking his hang glider could overcome the drizzle, he escaped via flight and succeeded for a few kilometres before a sudden wind forced his wings to misbehave and the gem to slip out of his grasp and down, now stuck between two walls. It was glistering as raindrops hit the shiny, hard surface, as though taunting him for trying to steal it. He would have abandoned it and get some righteous policeman to discover the gem, but he hadn't checked if it was Pandora, so there was no other choice but to do the hard work himself.

He squatted down and began chipping the wall, the rain rinsing the dust and muting the knocking sound effectively. The cold made him sneeze once or twice as he grudgingly continued with a few sniffs.

Today just wasn't his day.

"What are you doing?"

Kid froze. He slowly turned to the entrance of the alley, where the familiar voice spoke. He had already passed beyond the highest level of surprise to achieve a complete shutdown of indifference and calm state.

Aoko was standing there, no longer in her raincoat, which she had used during her chase. She was donned in her normal attire, but now with a purple umbrella over her head. She looked at him, eyes curious for a second until everything dawned upon her when she spotted the jewel that was stuck between the bottom part of the two walls.

"I guess even a phantom has his own bad days." She remarked wryly.

"You shouldn't be here, Nakamori-san." Kid said, as well as representing the thoughts of Kuroba Kaito. "I'll be bad if you catch a cold."

"That goes for the same as you."

Knowing fully well that he wouldn't win over her stubbornness, he changed the conversation. "So, how did you find me?"

Aoko stared up at the sky and didn't answer until after a long while. "Instinct."

Right on the cue, the sirens of a few police cars grew louder as the wheels started passing puddles of water. When the sound of the splashes died down and the cars were far away enough, everything turned oddly silent, saved for the rain. Kid guessed Inspector Nakamori or Hakuba had blocked off the road of the streets, where he made his dive down to retrieve the jewel. Just great. He hoped no one else would find him here. He had enough trouble at hand, with the trapped jewel _and_ Aoko.

"Are you going to turn me in?" He said as he thought of three escape plans while continuing his work with an air of nonchalance.

"No."

The amount of determination from her reply was the last thing he expected, accompanied with her answer, too. He couldn't keep his shoulders from tensing in surprise. "No?" He echoed lamely and scrutinized her from under the shadow of his damp hat.

She stepped forward and stood right next to him, so close to the point he could feel the heat coming from her. This was the first time he ever felt wary towards Aoko, and he couldn't understand or shake this feeling away. She knew what he was capable of, and he knew she wouldn't dare to pull a trick on him when her strength and stealth could never overpower his, but something... just didn't feel right. Was this what Hakuba meant? About Aoko being off during his heist?

The rain suddenly stopped. No, not because of the fabulous mother nature. He looked up to see the cause, to find the purple umbrella tilted over his head and sheltering him.

He peered at her with his mask of stone. She returned the same look.

"What are you doing?" He muttered, voice as cold and dry as ice.

 _Pitter-Patter_

 _"No."_ Aoko's voice echoed in his mind as he recalled the conversation they had during their dinner a while ago. _"That doesn't mean I'll want to erase him from my memories."_

 _Pitter-Patter_

"Do you even know what the hell you are doing?" He dropped his tools and stood up, his hat knocking the underside of her umbrella as he stepped away from her.

"I know." She finally replied, oddly unmoved.

Something sparked within him, giving him a rush of adrenaline. He didn't like the way Aoko was being so close to _him_ , to _Kaitou Kid_. "You should leave if you're not going to catch me."

Another car swoosh past, its siren dying down again.

"Why? Because I'm boring to you?" She challenged. Now, a part of the feisty Nakamori Aoko he knew was back, but he still wasn't comfortable with her current presence. "What if I've decided to turn you in now?"

He looked at her as drips of water dropped from the brim of his hat. "You can try." Was all he said.

Before he was about to squat back down and continue his work, her eyes flickered to the gem before glancing up at him again. The slight hesitance in her steps made him wonder if she was really thinking of trying to stop him, until she suddenly shoved the umbrella's handle into his chest and ran away in the rain.

Too stunned to move, Kid watched her go, and his stupid, useless heart made one final plea before splitting in half as she was gone.

.o.

In the end, the jewel wasn't Pandora, not like Kid was anticipating it to be. He hadn't set his hopes high in a while.

He dumped his suit at Jii's bar, leaving his advance high-tech washing machine to deal with the mess. The rain hadn't died down, not a single bit, but Kuroba Kaito was now walking home, dressed in his new set of clothes while carrying the purple umbrella over his head, the only thing he didn't left behind as Kid.

Instead of prioritising his schedules and plans on the next gem he was going to steal, he thought of what happened an hour ago.

His grip around the handle tightened. What the hell was she even doing? Running in the rain like that and possibly catching a cold. That idiot. He considered visiting her later, as Kaito, with an excuse for borrowing her science homework to copy. It wasn't that late yet, and he guessed after that incident, Aoko couldn't have slept either. In fact, he guessed she hadn't been sleeping well in a long while.

He closed the umbrella, shaking it dry at his front door as he proceeded to unlock the door with his other hand. He hadn't thought of a proper way to dispose the evidence yet, so before that, he decided to keep it in Kid's secret room. Yes. That was what he should do.

The door swung open as he kept his keys inside his pocket as he entered his home. After the door slammed shut behind him, his house was soon trapped in its usual darkness and silence. But for the first time, Kaito found it more comforting than lonely. He hadn't felt like this in a long while, but no matter how great the feeling was, his sense of alert rose and his intuition was blaring red. He stopped in his track, hands by his sides and no longer reaching out for the light switches.

Why was there such a difference? Was there something, or someone in his-!

All of the sudden, the lights turned on, nearly blinding Kaito. He blinked rapidly and raised his arms in a defensive stance, preparing for the sudden attack until he stopped and-

"Aoko." He whispered, the same, unachievable calmness instantly took over his entire body. He lowered his gaze to the purple umbrella in his hand and with quick speed, hid it behind his body before looking up, wide eyes, scared, and-

"Don't bother, Bakaito." Aoko said, her hand falling back to her side after switching on the lights. She had changed out her clothes too, and her wet was still damp from her possible shower. "I know." She finally said in a steady breath (and he wondered if she had been practicing it for a while).

Kaito felt the back of his throat squeezed as his skin crawled in panic. Flashes, images, everything started obscuring his visions. _What? How? When? Why?_ Many things and questions were exploding in his head, and Aoko, though, was patiently waiting for him to find back his voice to speak.

"H-How long," His grip loosened as he let the umbrella drop onto the ground, defeated. "How long since you'd found out?"

"It isn't a one, sudden thing." She released a heavy breath. "I just pieced many scattered moments and memories together and knew."

"So... all these time? You knew... Yet..." Kaito closed his eyes, wanting to just jump into a hole and never come out alive. He suddenly remembered the conversation he had with Hakuba quite a while ago, about how Aoko was _expecting something_ from him. So all along, she was waiting for him to tell her the truth...?

He couldn't believe Hakuba realized it before he did. It was bloody pathetic.

Just how much and how long had he been lying to himself instead?

"It took me very long to accept everything." Aoko took a step closer towards him and the next. He didn't dare to move. "But I still want to know why; why you're doing all these." She glanced down and cautiously reached out to his stomach. Her fingers lingered over the exact place where the scar was, the scar he got when he jumped into the trap hole and saved her from getting stabbed by the shards of glasses. "Because I know you'll never hurt me, unless you have a damn good reason for doing so."

She was waiting for an answer and Kaito nodded, because that was all he could do to reply her. He turned his head and dropped his gaze.

"At first I was really angry at you; for pretending like nothing was wrong when you knew how much I hated Kid. But then it started to pain me instead, to know how it must have hurt you too," Aoko looked at him, eyes droopy and watery. "Why didn't you want to tell me?"

"I thought you'll leave." This was the first sentence he didn't stutter.

Her lips quivered when she heard what he said. "The only one who thinks it was okay for you to just up and leave... was you." Aoko took his hands and gave a squeeze. Her touch made his belly flutter, like a butterfly stretching its wings for the first time. "You thought I hated Kaitou Kid enough to leave. But you didn't understand how I love Kuroba Kaito more than enough to stay."

His heartbeat quickened.

"Kuroba Kaito, I love y-"

He didn't wait for her to finish as he plunged his lips into hers. He slowly twisted his hands till both of theirs intertwined together perfectly, like it was all meant to be.

The only reason he broke away was to catch his breath. "I wanted to do this since the last summer festival." He didn't hesitant to admit.

Aoko laughed, her voice sweet and honeyed, like her lips. "I know."

"You know?"

"I know." She repeated evenly.

"And you know that I love-?"

"I know." Aoko sheepishly pecked her lips onto his, her cheeks bloomed as red as a rose while she was at it. "Right now, I want you to go dry your hair before you start to tell me everything."

But he didn't move. Instead, he slowly wrapped his arms around her and laid his head onto her shoulder. "Give me three more seconds, like this, and then I'll go." He muffled into her collar.

She knew that he was cold, which was probably why she allowed him to nuzzle his face into the crook of her neck, even if it was all just an excuse to pull her closer to him. And she didn't mind, because to the both of them, it felt wonderful, this togetherness; everything.

Everything felt right.

They held each other for more than the promised three seconds, the neighbourhood girl and the magician thief, and many unsaid things passed between them; his secrets, her understanding, his daydreams about her and her wishes about him, all laid out like a jigsaw puzzle, ready to be pieced together once they decided to do.

Whatever that lay ahead in their future, Kaito had no idea how he would face them. But if Aoko was by his side, then that was all that mattered.

.end.

* * *

A/N:  
awesome thief and adorable neighborhood girl... I like the gist of it hahaha  
All I wanted was another Aoko-suspect-Kaito chapter and so I fulfiled my own wish by writing this 22.5k crap fic. The hints might be too subtle, so please forgive me and my puny brain that only knows how to write romance but is shitty with good plots. _  
_Hope you guys like this *sweats nervously*


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